Declan Rice has been speaking glowingly about the “exciting project” he finds himself a part of at Arsenal, having already lifted silverware just weeks after making the move.
The England midfielder has seemingly already adjusted well to life at Arsenal, having made the £105million switch from east to north London last month, leaving his boyhood club of West Ham in what was a British transfer record.
Rice is no stranger to pressure, however, having first captained the Hammers at the age of 20, a leadership and experience he is hoping can take his new side to the next level.
In an interview with TNT Sport’s Rio Ferdinand, the now 24-year-old spoke about his surprise at the level of ambition he has seen in his first month at Arsenal, who last year finished a close second to Manchester City in the Premier League.
“The moment I walked in the door, that’s the thing that shocked me the most how much it’s [the winning mentality] drilled into this club and the way the manager is drilling in the players about winning and not being far off, being one of the best teams in the world,” Rice said.
“That’s what excites me. That’s why I came to Arsenal, to win, play under Mikel [Arteta], to play with the players. It’s such an exciting project to be a part of.”
The England international admits that one of the biggest draws to joining the club was the prospect of playing under manager Mikel Arteta, who himself was a midfielder and enjoyed a successful career at the top level for Barcelona, PSG, Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton, and Arsenal.
“I think in the last four weeks alone I’ve grown so much. I’ve learned so much about football that I hadn’t really seen before,” Rice said.
“I was blown away by [Arteta]. Of course, I’m now working with him day by day, it’s another level. Seeing how he works, how his mind operates, picking up stuff.
“Seeing how he goes into detail on the opposition and seeing how he wants to improve us as players individually collectively. It’s really impressive.”
Rice, who over six seasons totalled over 200 appearances for West Ham, saw his loyalty rewarded when he lifted the UEFA Europa Conference League in June.
Despite his former side’s recent triumph, it is clear that Rice’s transfer to Arsenal was a decision made with his head and his own personal ambition in mind. It is a move he views as the perfect place to further his development and reach the top level.
“You only get one career,” he said. “I’m only 24 I just felt like it was the right time to move to go and experience new things, to go and learn, put myself out there.”
