Mikel Arteta says Declan Rice will bring “physical qualities” to Arsenal and was signed for his ability to get the best out of his teammates.
The England international arrives at Emirates Stadium just weeks after helping West Ham to a first major trophy in 39 years and has already outlined his ambitions to win the Premier League with the Gunners, something the club haven’t done since 2004.
Having identified Rice as a game-changing signing months and months ago, Arteta is delighted his club-record signing now has time to bed in with his new teammates.
“That was the target when we started to discuss and plan things but obviously it was a very difficult one to achieve,” said Arteta on Monday.
“I think the club has done tremendously well. We have the support and the aim of the players to join the club and its great because it gives us time to prepare in the right way.”
Pressed on the qualities Rice will bring to his team, the Spaniard continued: “It’s his leadership, his aura, the experience he already has in the league. He is going to bring the team to a different dimension I think.
“He has the physical qualities we were missing for a while as well. That is why we had to do what we had to do to get him because he was really important for us to get him.
Arteta wasn’t specific about when he decided Rice was the man for him – “a while ago,” he said – but it’s clear he has something of a crush on the new boy.
“We were discussing how he could evolve the team and how he could complement the players that we already have and give us more flexibility and quality and depth, and take that winning hunger into the team with players who really want to push themselves to a different level. We have three new players who will be really important in that.
“I see him like a lighthouse, that he is willing to put light in others and improve others and make the team better and that is a huge quality.
“For me, to be a midfielder you have to have that and he’s got it 100 per cent and the way he talks and presents himself and the ambition he has and the passion towards the game and that is exactly what we needed.”
Rice took part in his first pre-season session in Washington D.C today and there’s an outside chance he could get some minutes when Arsenal face MLS All-Stars later in the week.
Well we now know how arteta pitched it to Josh, he drew a Declan lighthouse and rays of light to all the other players.
I think we don’t speak enough about what a big transfer this is as a statement TO Arteta. Look, unless you’re the football equivalent of a flat earther, it’s abundantly clear that Mikel Arteta is an unbelievably good manager, most likely generational. And it’s also very obvious that he is going right to the top of the game. And I mean to the very, very top. So as a club we have to show him that we match his ambition. That he can do it at Arsenal. That we aren’t just some stepping stone for him. And if we overpaid… Read more »
Ateta has won one FA Cup, Xavi one Liga and Roberto Di Matteo (one CL). As you can guess, I just wanted to put Di Matteo in there for the big prize. We have a very good manager, let’s lower the expectations the exact same way himself does for Balogun.
Xavi has made Barcelona the most boring team in the universe.
They were pretty boring under pep as well, needing bent refs to beat us in the cl.
I think you’ve missed the point of the post you are responding to entirely.
Lol….we have the most underrated defensive midfielder in the world already in our squad…. there’s no mega upgrade for Toomas Phatey in the world…I hope we keep him.. picture a double pivot of both when we need to bully Barcelona 😜…….I fear we’ll regret selling him…
Partey is a very, very good player. But for me, the two moments that define his season is his mistake which let WHU back in and him hitting himself in the head, trying to snap out of an appalling performance. Both those moments came in the run in. Add to that, he’s a player that needs to be coddled physically and, well, the other thing.. and I can see why we want to move on from TP. If we are getting £40m for him, I won’t be at all surprised that we sell. Both mentally and physically he’s let us… Read more »
Bro you just spilled out my exact thoughts…TP for me is simply the best in that DM position…Rice is a fantastic and young played… personally for me the only player I would play ahead of TP in that DM position is Rodri, not even Rice…I just don’t get why we are thinking of letting him go
A double pivot of Partey and Rice will bully any team in Europe including Man City and Real Madrid 💪
He’s injury prone, which I think makes him inconsistent.
Does anyone think Rice would have chose The Arsenal over city etc if Dick Emery was still in charge. Or sadly latter years Wenger. Arteta has completely turned the club around. It’s quite incredible.
Guys whatever happened to Carl Jenkinson?! Randomly remembered him today
Jenks is now 31 and playing for Newcastle Jets in Australia 🙂
Struth
He lived the dream….. played for and scored for his boyhood club. Now he out here in Aus just taking it easy and enjoying the lifestyle the Newcastle region has to offer…. beautiful beaches, Hunter Valley vineyards just up the road, perfect weather all year around, and me 🙂
He’s quit football and joined his father on stage in the two-handed football-inspired musical – “It’s a game of two Carl’s”‘ (working title).
I googled him every year out of curiosity. He never enjoyed a good season. It was always injuries and/or loss of form.
The Corporal’s goal celebration vs Norwich in 2014 was one for the ages!
From time to time, I find myself researching some of the players who have been good enough to represent their countries at the World Cup but didn’t quite make it for whatever reason. Like Joel Campbell and Takuma Asano.
There was that point where we seemed to have so many super talented youngsters – Carlos Vela, JET, Henri Lansbury, Frimpong, Djourou, Gnabry, Wilshere, TGSTEL, Campbell, Szczesny. All of them seemed to have the talent to at least become good squad players for us if not stars but Ramsey’s the only one of them who ended up having a decent career for us. Half because of injuries (was our medical team awful back then or was it that astro turf at Colney? We also got hacked horrendously) the other half because I just feel like Wenger stopped prioritising winning above… Read more »
Cor – Jay Emmanuel Thomas. What high hopes I had for him!
He’s still the Corporal.😄
The way arteta smiles and laughs when he talks about Rice is like he still can’t believe he got him. Never seen him so giddy before.
I think that he is definitely going to bring some extra muscle and bite to the midfield, as well as the potential for more goals. He’s tall and strong, certainly an attacking corner threat as well as an extra defensive rock against the set pieces. He’s going to be something special.
He’s Vieira 2.0.
Assuming you mean Patrick, I think i get the similarities in their games you might be seeing but that’s unfair to Declan, to be compared to one of the greatest central midfielders ever when he’s barely arrived. Patrick is a legend and a completely unique physical specimen, best to leave him be and let Declan be Declan.
The Rice is cooking.😄
Watched a video of Rice singing rap music with Micah Richard. Man, Rice’s talent in music might be worth 105M.
Then again, you probably don’t have to be Pavarotti to sound bloody brilliant compared to Micah Richards.
He’s gonna take us to another dimension.
Pay close attention!
A nod to a great tune – 90s music was great
Beastie Boys!!!
I was massively #KronkeOut. I wonder how we all feel now, I still don’t agree with how he treated a lot of the backroom staff. The progression and investment in the first team is currently exceptional, it’s a fickle life being a football fan in the 20th century.
I think it was pretty obvious as long as Usamanov partly owned Arsenal, we weren’t going to see a huge investment from either stakeholder. Credit to KSE, after the 100% acquisition we can’t say they haven’t invested heavily.
To be honest I don’t blame them for not investing while not owning the club outright.
Edu looks more like a mob boss with every passing day.
I guess we will be Holding a White Rice Partey soon over a Timber bonfire. I will get my coat
And an Odegaard of honor for Christ
Rice is going to take our play to another dimension. Play close attention.
Multiverse champions league here we go!
this headline will please the new age movement.