Declan Rice finally made his move to Arsenal official from West Ham after many months of speculation this summer. In a move expected to be worth £105 million, the new star arrived at the Emirates, with fans being overjoyed at such a big transfer.
He also quickly settled into the team, becoming a pivotal part of the midfield. The Brit even scored his first goal in the 3-1 victory against Manchester United, and fans couldn’t be happier with his performances so far. But Rice has now revealed that he was welcomed into his first day as an Arsenal player in a hilarious way.
Declan Rice discloses Mikel Arteta’s first-day reception
Declan Rice revealed that he was nervous on his first day at his new club. Having signed a big contract with the Gunners, he was expected to be hitting the ground as soon as possible. Seeing his nervousness, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta found a quick way to get rid of his nervousness and give him a great welcome.
In an interview with the YouTube channel Tubes & Ange Golf Life, he revealed, “I was a bit nervous on my first day at Arsenal! Then, Arteta… he put a sticker on my chest saying: Hello, I’m the new person. All the under-18s & under-21s are in the canteen! I’m walking through trying to hide my chest.”
Declan Rice: “I was a bit nervous on my first day at Arsenal! Then Arteta… he put a sticker on my chest saying: Hello, I’m the new person”. 🔴⚪️😄
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 11, 2023
“All the under-18s & under-21s are in the canteen! I’m walking through trying to hide my chest”, told Tubes & Ange Golf Life. pic.twitter.com/6anh1MHhfr
Arteta also played a pivotal role in Rice’s transfer, with Manchester City also trying to hijack the deal. Arteta remained in contract with the player, convincing him that he will be the star man, and that he has a very strong project at the club.
Arteta’s hilarious way to make Rice feel welcome shows the impact of Arteta so far. He has roused the team to become a great post Arsene Wenger, leading a previously mediocre team to become title challengers. With his tactics and man management last season, Arteta almost led the team to the Premier League title, but Manchester City managed to snatch it at the last moment. This season, they have won two out of three games so far, and are looking for another title dash.
England to face Scotland in Glasgow
Currently, Arsenal’s new superstar is on international duty with England. The national team under Gareth Southgate is playing two games as part of the international break. Already the team has faced Ukraine as part of the UEFA 2024 qualifiers, where they had to settle for a tough 1-1 draw.
The team is now going to travel to Glasgow in Scotland, where they will face their neighbors for the second fixture of the international break. This game is a friendly, however, the team will hope to get a good win to boost morale.
After the international break is over, Declan Rice will return to club duty with Arsenal, where they face Everton away on September 17. Presently, he will possibly feature in the match against Scotland on Wednesday.
