Arsenal completed the signing of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice last month. The Englishman became the third signing of the 2023 summer transfer window for the North London side. The club had to stave off competition from Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool among other clubs to sign him.
The signing reinforces Arsenal’s depth in the midfield for next season. The Gunners were left slightly short of options after Granit Xhaka’s departure. But now, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz could help to shore up the midfield alongside Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, etc.
Manager Mikel Arteta is a long-time admirer of the 24-year-old and had earmarked the English midfielder as his top priority of the 2023 summer transfer window. He joined on a record-breaking £105 million deal, a guaranteed £100m plus £5m in potential add-ons.
The signing also makes Declan Rice the costliest British player ever, ahead of Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish. He signed a five-year contract with the North London side till the summer of 2028 with the option to extend his deal for another year.
Declan Rice – Player Career
Declan Rice joined the West Ham United academy from Chelsea in 2014. At the age of 16, he helped the Hammers to win the Premier League Cup with the U-21s in 2016. He made his Premier League debut that season as a late substitute on the final match-day against Burnley.
The Englishman became more prominently involved with the first-team in the 2017-18 season. He featured in 31 games across all competitions, 20 as a starter (stats via Transfermarkt). In December 2019, he made his 50th appearance for the Hammers, a first since Michael Carrick.
The 24-year-old also wore the captain’s armband for the first time, at the age of 20 against Leicester City. He was involved in West Ham’s 21-22 expedition in the Europa League. Captaining the side, he scored 3 goals in 10 games, but his side was painfully knocked out in the semi-finals.
🥇 Conference League
🥇 Community ShieldDeclan Rice's last two competitive games at club level earned him two🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/NiztTq5Ewn
— 433 (@433) August 7, 2023
The English defensive midfilder had to wait just one more season to taste European success. In the 2022-23 season, David Moyes’ side won the UEFA Conference League after beating Fiorentina 2-1 in the final. Rice featured in 11 of the 13 games in the cup.
Overall, the midfielder has turned out for the Hammers 245 times over 7 seasons. He got 15 goals and 13 assists against his name. The Englishman made his international debut with the Republic of Ireland. However, after playing just 3 games, the midfielder switched allegiances and joined the English National team instead.
Since then, the 24-year-old has been a consistent presence for the Three Lions. Declan Rice was also a starter for Gareth Southgate’s side in the 2020 Euros and 2022 World Cup. Since his debut in 2018, he has played 43 games for England.
Role at Arsenal
It seems possible for Rice to occupy either one of two roles for Arsenal. The Englishman has largely played in a 4-2-3-1 alongside a less adventurous Tomas Soucek at West Ham. However, he has played a deeper role multiple times, for both club and country.
This would, to an extent, also be dependent on Arsenal’s business in the remainder of the transfer window. Thomas Partey has been linked with a transfer away from the club. Juventus are reportedly in the race to land the Ghanaian, while a move to Saudi Arabia is also on the cards.
Declan Rice 💨
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) August 7, 2023
If Arsenal do sell the former Atletico Madrid man, Ric may be used as a direct replacement. He would function as the team’s anchor, allowing the interiors to advance higher up the field. Odegaard and Havertz could be the players deployed ahead of the Englishman in such a set-up, while Oleksandr Zinchenko would invert to support him in the midfield.
However, manager Mikel Arteta may place his faith in Jorginho to take up responsibility for the DM role. A new signing like Romeo Lavia may also be considered. In such a scenario, the England international may be used as a central midfielder alongside Odegaard. He would have the flexibility to drop deeper and help with the build-up, or get into advanced areas similar to how Xhaka played.
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Declan Rice is a marquee signing for Arsenal this summer. The Englishman comes in with lofty expectations considering the price tag. His flexibility and quality in the midfield would be a great asset for Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard will benefit from the composure, leadership, and technical skill that midfielder brings in.
How can Arsenal line up with Declan Rice? Let us know in the comments.
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