Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise onto summer signing Declan Rice for the extraordinary way he has adapted so quickly to his new team.
The England international has proven a superb edition to the Arsenal squad after his move from West Ham United in the summer, and it’s little surprise that Arteta is delighted with the impact he’s making.
Rice will undoubtedly be key for the Gunners this afternoon as they take on Tottenham in the North London Derby, and Arteta singled him out for praise ahead of today’s big game, as quoted by journalist Fabrizio Romano in the post on X below…
??? Arteta: "Declan Rice, he's extraordinary. In terms of how quickly he has adapted, he has surprised me".
"In a really natural way he is doing what he has done for the last few seasons. Now he is doing it for us, in an extraordinary way". pic.twitter.com/iCAYyLdGYs
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 24, 2023
Arsenal fans will surely share Arteta’s view here, with Rice so instantly looking at home at the Emirates Stadium and making the north London giants look like even more serious title contenders than they were last term.
Man City may have ended up winning the treble in the end, but AFC weren’t far behind them in the table and may well have kept their lead at the top if not for some unfortunate injuries at key moments.