As he saunters to a chair in the Los Angeles shade, Declan Rice exudes the calmness of a man free from transfer hysteria at the club he so desired to join.
A protracted summer which saw him linked to numerous clubs, including Manchester City, is now in the rear-view mirror, and the goal is clear. Arsenal want to win trophies, like all teams, but they want it now. Spending in excess of £200miilion on three players in the past month says as much. With Rice in tow, that dream edges ever closer.
Though for the midfielder, it was playing under Mikel Arteta that was the attraction. He has long admired him, to the point of believing he has to relearn football in a bid to meet his boss’s demands.
‘Honestly, it’s crazy,’ he says. ‘Speaking to a few of the (Arsenal) lads at England before, the first thing they all said was how much they all improved.
‘I think he sees someone that’s really eager and knows that I can go to another level if I start to apply the stuff that I’ve never learned before. It’s a waiting game. Of course, you can’t wait forever. I’m already learning so much and I’m working so hard to try to improve and understand it.
Declan Rice already feels right at home after making his £105m summer switch to Arsenal
The England midfielder (middle) has revealed playing for Mikle Arteta was a major factor
Rice believes he can elevate his game and is convinced Arteta can unlock his true potential
‘I think over time in terms of build-up, the way he inverts with the full backs, understanding the positional sense of not being on the same line, not coming towards the ball too early, staying away from the ball, creating space for others. It’s just so much to take in. He knows the qualities I have, that’s why he brought me to Arsenal.’
Aside from playing styles, it is the word ‘leader’ that is often subscribed to this 24-year-old. So young, yet he has already displayed such defining qualities at boyhood club West Ham, where he became captain in May last year following the retirement of Mark Noble. Getting there included the hairdryer treatment from manager David Moyes along the way.
‘In school I was always the class joker, always wanted to be outspoken and meet new people,’ he says. ‘When I was on a football pitch I was like a sponge, I just wanted to learn.
‘If I had to get told off, I would rather that and learn than not be told anything. With Moyes I had so many hairdryers where he would give it to me after games. I had it in training a couple of times! I needed those experiences. A couple of times I was dragged off the pitch [substituted]. I have played with older heads, learned under Nobes (Noble).
‘In my announcement video that I was leaving West Ham, I had a short clip at the start where I said I see myself as a leader – I was only around 15 then. I have always wanted to be a captain, to lead the team. I think you are just built with it.’
It is those leadership qualities that Arteta hopes will be crucial this coming season. Their thirst to win silverware align, a feeling Rice experienced in the colours of West Ham last month as they beat Fiorentina to lift the Europa Conference League.
It was the journey to that fateful day that has taught him what it takes to lift big prizes, something he is eager for Gunners fans to experience in this campaign.
‘Having that build up, buzz, excitement, and getting your hands on the trophy, you just want more of it,’ he says. ‘You are craving to win more. Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League in so long, the Champions League they’ve never won that so there’s a real buzz inside of me and this group of players to win.
Rice (right) wants to deliver a Premier League title back to Arsenal following barren years
His leadership with team-mates is going to be crucial as Arsenal look to overthrow Man City
Rice has major trophy experience having won the Europa Conference League with West Ham
‘I really feel like they are going in the right spot. Even though the average fan might not think that, when you are in football you know. You can see it. You see football in a different way. You see the improvements and the strides Arsenal are making. The fact I can come here and try to help this squad to achieve big things again, it means a lot to me. Let’s see how this journey goes.’
High expectations are also a product of a £105million price tag, which saw Rice become Britain’s most expensive player.
When asked about whether this brings him a sense of confidence or weight of expectation, he adds: ‘I think it’s both. I know I got bought for £105m, but I have not thought about it once.
‘I don’t decide the price. I just play football. What has got me here is my quality, what I have done for West Ham over the past six years. That isn’t going to change.
‘Over the six years – don’t judge me over a year – judge me over six years, and hopefully I can repay it back with a few trophies.’
