Mikel Arteta has revealed that Declan Rice picked up an injury during a recent pre-season training session.
The English midfielder, who became the Gunners’ record-signing after joining from West Ham for £105 million earlier this month, has already featured for Arteta.
However, playing Barcelona in the early hours of this morning; a game they won 5-3, Rice failed to make the squad.
And confirming to reporters in his post-match press conference that the former Hammers’ captain was too ‘uncomfortable’ to play after receiving a ‘strong kick’ in training, Arteta said: “Dec had quite a strong kick in training.
“I wouldn’t want to take the risk, he wasn’t really comfortable to train yesterday and today.
“We decided not to play him.”