24 February 2024 , 09:02
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Mikel Arteta has shed light on what sets Arsenal's record-signing Declan Rice apart after a stellar debut season at the Emirates so far.
Rice swapped east London for north in the summer when the Gunners forked out £105million to raid their London rivals of their captain. Few signings that cost such an eye-watering fee have hit the ground running quite like the England international has, with the midfielder even matching his goal tally from last term with three months still to play.
The 25-year-old has played a pivotal role in some huge wins over Arsenal's title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, with many fans and pundits alike suggesting Rice could be the key factor in the Gunners ending their two-decade wait for a Premier League title. Amid all that talk, Rice's boss has had his say on the midfielder and spoke glowingly about the ex-Hammers star. Speaking to TNT Sport, Arteta claimed: "If I had to describe him with a picture, I would say a lighthouse. This is how I see him.
"His presence, when he is overlooking everything, he is bringing light and clarity and guidance to everybody and that's his biggest quality. He is a leader, still very young and a lot to learn but he's got the right foundations to become an incredible player for us." That isn't the first time Arteta has compared Rice to a lighthouse. Before he'd even kicked a ball for the Gunners, the Arsenal boss echoed a similar sentiment, claiming: "I see him like a lighthouse, he will light (up) the others and improve the others, and make the team better.
"The way he talks, the ambition he has and the passion for the game is exactly what we need," Arteta added. "He’s got the physical qualities that we’ve been missing for a while, that’s why we had to do what we had to do to get him, because he’s really important for us." One of Rice's main strengths is his availability. The £105m man has featured in every single one of Arsenal's Premier League games so far this season, scoring four and assisting four goals in the process.
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While other Gunners midfielders struggle for fitness, Rice is an ever-present in the starting line-up. The same cannot be said for Thomas Partey, who has made just five league appearances this term, though could make his long-awaited return against Newcastle on Saturday night.
Given Partey played the opening three games of the season at right-back, the sight of him alongside Rice in the middle of the park has been one the Emirates faithful have been starved of. The visit of Newcastle could see the two next to each other for the first time since the Ghanaian's 15 minute cameo off the bench against City in October.
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