Arsenal have got one of the world’s best midfielders in Declan Rice. The former West Ham captain was already one of the best in the Premier League and even helped his former club win the Europa Conference League.
Having comfortably settled into his new team, the midfielder has been phenomenal for the Gunners so far. In the 3 games they have played, he was running the midfield. Rice even managed to get his first goal after scoring in the 3-1 victory against Manchester United. But he is still far from becoming the best, and he has acknowledged this by naming a current Premier League midfielder as a role model.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice finds inspiration in Manchester City’s midfield maestro
In an interview with Channel 4, Rice was asked about who he thought was better than him in his position. The humble midfielder picked out Manchester City anchorman Rodri, who has been a phenomenal player for Manchester City in recent years.
He said, “Obviously the main one in the Premier League is Rodri, he’s incredible. What a player he is, the way he works, the way he keeps that Man City team ticking, you know he’s a top player.”
Rodri has recently been a pivotal part of Pep Guardiola’s team, running the team’s midfield. He has managed to stop opposition attackers and has even scored a few goals to help win titles, such as the winner in the Champions League final. With him as the defensive midfielder, Manchester City has become the best team in the world. This is evidenced by their treble win, where Rodri had a major impact in each title win.
Such a player is sure to be admired, especially by a similar talent like Declan Rice.
Rice signed for Arsenal in a record breaking deal
Declan Rice was linked with many clubs in the transfer window, with West Ham demanding a high price. Manchester City had also gone in for him, but the former West Ham captain instead chose Arsenal, partly because of the manager Mikel Arteta.
In a move expected to be worth £105 million, he is Arsenal’s most expensive transfer signing. Fans have long asked for a big signing, and after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title last season, Arsenal finally splashed the cash for the superstar.
Rice is expected to revitalize the midfield and help them in both defense and attack. He could help the team become title challengers again, and maybe even help them go all the way this time.
Currently, the midfielder is on international duty with England. He will return to Arsenal soon and their next match will be against Everton on September 17.
