It was one of the biggest transfer sagas of 2023, as Manchester City and Arsenal battled for the signature of Declan Rice. After the persuasion of Mikel Arteta and Edu, Rice headed across London for a club-record £105 million and what a signing it has been.
The 25-year-old England star has been an ever present for the club since his arrival, so here are four ways Rice has improved Arsenal…
LEADERSHIP
West Ham fans will be the first to tell you that Declan Rice carried the side for years. Despite not being a first team regular for long, Mark Noble didn’t hesitate to pass on the torch to him when it came to leading the side. In West Ham’s European runs, Rice ran the show, sometimes quite literally, as demonstrated by his sensational solo goal against Gent last season.
Now for Arsenal, he is continuously showing his leadership in the middle of the park. Just like Ray Parlour, Patrick Vieira, Gilberto Silva, Cesc Fabregas and Martin Odegaard, midfield leaders are a regularity at Arsenal and Declan Rice should be next in line.
SET PIECE TAKER
Corners hitting the first man is one of the most frustrating things to see as a football fan. Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka’s set pieces were proving inconsistent, so Arsenal sought about changing that when they headed into their winter break.
Declan Rice only took four corners in his 20 league games for the Gunners. In his previous four games, he’s taken 12 with two being assists. He showed his free-kick capabilities as well with his assist for Gabriel’s header against West Ham, another string added to his bow.
RELIABILITY
Arsenal’s last two campaigns have hit hurdles during the run-in after injuries to key players, with William Saliba and Thomas Partey missing crucial periods last season. In the last four-and-a-half league seasons, Rice has missed just nine games, whilst Partey has been frequently sidelined due to injury problems.
You need your world class players to be available, which is an often underrated trait, but it is one Rice has by being the incredible athlete he is. He is crucial to Arsenal’s success, with Mikel Arteta’s trust in him giving Arsenal a great platform to build on, which also allows Odegaard and co to flourish.
RAISING THE BAR
Arteta has done a great job of elevating the standards at the club since his arrival, with numerous high profile players who have not met them being let go. The signing of Rice has raised that to an even higher, if not elite, standard.
“I’ve come to Arsenal to test myself against the best. Collectively as a club we can do special things. Individually there’s things I want to add to my game which I know I can learn from Mikel,” Rice said last summer after signing.
A player of Rice’s level expecting and wanting more from himself says a lot about him, the quality of Arsenal’s squad, and the ambition the club has for success.
