Why Arsenal really signed Declan Rice as Mikel Arteta reveals transfer masterplan| SolSportHQ

Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta has explained his hopes for Declan Rice after the midfielder made the club-record move from West Ham.

It comes as the Gunners recently completed the deal to land the England international from London rivals West Ham, becoming the club-record signing at £105million. After narrowly missing out on the Premier League title last season, there will be hopes that they can lift the league at the second time of asking.

Not only does the statement signing of Rice underline the ambitions of doing just that, but the player himself has discussed as much in an interview with the Arsenal club media team. “Lifting that [the Europa Conference League trophy with West Ham] was really special and the icing on the cake. But my ambitions now are to win with Arsenal again,” the 24-year-old said.

“I think this fanbase deserves it. There has been FA Cups and Community Shields but now it’s time to go one step bigger and win the Premier League and the Champions League and I wouldn’t be here if I did not believe that. I believe in the squad and in the manager. We have a real good energy around the place and when everyone is pushing in that direction, Arsenal will take some stopping.

“I’ve said for many years I wanted to play in the Champions League. I’ve wanted to push myself at the biggest level. This opportunity at Arsenal has arisen where Arsenal are in the Champions League and it’s a great club. At the end of the day you get one career and I want to be as successful with Arsenal, make as many Champions League appearances as possible and hopefully one day get our hands on that trophy.”

In Rice, Arteta will have a player that adds plenty of versatility as he can play in both a deeper lying midfield role as well as a more advanced one. There’s the addition of quality on the ball as well as the capability to work off the ball to ensure the team aren’t beaten easily when defending.

At just 24-years-old, the Gunners have a star that is yet to reach their peak, yet has hundreds of matches worth of experience at club and international level as well as a captaincy under their belt. The manager has already outlined how he hopes the move will guide others in the future.

“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,” Arteta told the press during Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA. “For me, to be a midfielder you have to have that and he’s got it 100 percent.

“The way he talks and presents himself, the ambition he has and the passion towards the game. That is exactly what we needed. It’s his leadership, his aura, the experience he already has in the league he is going to bring and the team to a different dimension I think.”

The Gunners have added another leader to their team of young players that can guide them towards more glory in the near and distant future. It remains to be seen how the club-record fee will be viewed, whether that’s as a success or a failure or somewhere in between, but the club have put plenty of faith into a move that could take them to the next level.

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