Declan Rice must score more goals, according to Graeme Souness, if he is to live up to his £105 million ($137m) price tag at Arsenal.

Rice has faced a lot of criticism because of his price tag, including some stern comments from the former Liverpool player this month who said the midfielder needs to ‘do more’ to try to aid Arsenal. Souness believes Rice will succeed in North London after comparing his experience as a high-priced midfielder to his own 1978 transfer to Liverpool.

He claimed in an interview with The Daily Mail that it wasn’t Declan’s fault that someone had paid £105 million for him. He must put up with that. When I was a footballer, I broke the record for the most transfers between English clubs. Although I didn’t request that price, I still paid it, and I’m confident Declan will as well.

“I believe he ought to score more goals. He averages two goals and two assists per season, but that is insufficient. He has joined a fantastic football team, therefore if I were his manager, I would anticipate him to contribute more goals and show more initiative. If you have anything about you, you wouldn’t just show up for work and be content with your lot. This isn’t meant as a criticism. You strive to get better every day. The top athletes want to learn something new each day, and that is what they do.

Although Rice’s final season at the London Stadium, when he scored five goals in all competitions, was his most prolific, he scored 15 goals in 245 games for West Ham.