The acquisition of Declan Rice by Arsenal for a whopping £105 million seemed to be the final missing piece in the puzzle. And that has been the case practically all along. Right now, the only thing missing for Arsenal is a Premier League championship to show for it.
Rice was the high-profile acquisition that demonstrated to Arsenal’s rivals in the Premier League that they are a formidable team. In each of the last two seasons, the Gunners have come very close to defeating Pep Guardiola’s team, ending five and two points behind.
Following seven games, they are tied with City on points, just one point behind Liverpool at the top of the table. Mikel Arteta has his team ready for another chance.
If Arsenal were to win their first championship since 2004, Rice will be pivotal. Since coming from West Ham United, he has been an excellent addition, taking up residence in the middle of midfield at the Emirates Stadium. When he first encountered Rice during Three Lions training, a former England teammate was incredulous about his skills. Kalvin Phillips, a former player for Man City and Leeds United, said on Sky Sports that Dec is amazing.
It goes without saying that I saw he was a player who would go when I initially practiced with him in England. He’s more than just a sportsman. “I was surprised by his height and strength. I obviously adore Declan a lot, but when I went there, I was really astounded by how good he was with the ball, how swiftly, and how much he covered ground.”
