Liam Delap has scored 12 goals in the Premier League this season (Getty)

Paul Merson has urged Liam Delap to join either Manchester United or Aston Villa ahead of Arsenal or Chelsea this summer.

Delap is expected to be one of the Premier …

Ian Wright has lavished praise on Declan Rice and believes his club record transfer fee looks a bargain in light of Tuesday’s matchwinning heroics against Real Madrid.

The England international raised eyebrows when he chose Arsenal as the next step in his career progression upon his decision to leave boyhood club West Ham nearly two years ago.

Chelsea and Manchester City, who submitted a rival bid, were also in the running but Mikel Arteta’s vision for Rice convinced the midfielder to join the Gunners.

Rice has vindicated Arteta’s judgement with a series of outstanding displays and capped a superb individual performance against Real on Tuesday night with two stunning free-kicks that have put his side within touching distance of what would be only Arsenal’s third appearance in a Champions League semi-final.

At the time Rice’s £100million fee looked steep, but David Moyes, his manager during his final season at West Ham, suggested Arsenal signed him on the cheap, a claim Wright is now in full agreement with.

He told The Overlap: ‘With David Moyes saying we haven’t got enough for him. Remember him saying he wanted £150 million for him.

‘I know like now we can all jump back and say ‘yeah David Moyes was right’ but Declan from the time he’s been at Arsenal he’s made that fee look embarrassing.’

Arteta, Rice and a host of his teammates were quick, meanwhile, to point out that the tie against Real is only at the halfway stage with next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu anything but a forgone conclusion.

Arsenal’s defensive record in Europe this season gives genuine hope for optimism, especially after Jakub Kiwior deputised so ably for the injured Gabriel but Wright is taking nothing for granted.

He said: ‘[On Arsenal beating Real Madrid] It was an amazing game. I think everybody played well – [Jacob] Kiwior did very well and so did Thomas Partey.

‘Especially [Bukayo] Saka, being 50% fit – he was amazing. The manager has always gone on about the group and their mentality and they had to show it in that game.

‘There were times that I thought Real Madrid played well and the crowd were going off it in that place.

‘Real Madrid have never come back from a 3-0 down in the first leg. They’ve never done that so hopefully we won’t be the first. However, they have players that can score goals quickly.’

Whether Rice is capable of repeating his dead ball magic remains to be seen, but Roy Keane was not surprised to see the 26-year-old leave Thibaut Courtois grasping for thin air twice in the space of unforgettable 12 minutes.

‘Declan Rice has great technique in terms of striking the ball,’ said Keane. ‘Those two goals against Real Madrid, I was not that shocked that he did it. He has got that in his locker. The second goal was fantastic though.  

‘If Rice can keep getting more goals, then he can be on a whole different level like some of the greater players out there. The goals add to it.”   

‘However, Nottingham Forest are exciting to watch.’

Liam Delap is set to become available this summer with a £30m relegation release clause (Shutterstock)

Chelsea and Manchester United are on alert as Liam Delap has a relegation release clause in his deal with Ipswich Town, according to rep…

Too soon for the young forward?

His transfer preference has been revealed.

Thomas Partey is said to favour a move to Barcelona this summer (Getty)

Thomas Partey has made Barcelona his ‘preferred’ destination in the summer transfer window, according to reports in Spain.

The midfielder is just about to…

Arsenal have been in talks with the winger.

‘United f****d that one up.’