Declan Rice believes Arsenal are close to Premier League glory again, and reveals he’s learned a lot from Mikel Arteta since his £105m move

Declan Rice believes Arsenal are not far off winning the title, and that he has learnt a lot since switching from West Ham to the Gunners earlier this month.

After widespread speculation, Rice finally completed his £105m move to the Emirates at the start of July, and now he is eager to spearhead Arsenal’s charge to try and take Man City‘s crown as Premier League winners.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal led the top-flight for much of last season, but were ultimately pipped to the post by Pep Guardiola’s rampant side during a run-in which saw the Gunners slip-up.

In an interview with Sky Sports News from Los Angeles, Rice said: ‘I think it’s time now. You know Arsenal under Mikel have won Community Shields, FA Cups, but I think now, this is a massive club, it’s constant pressure of delivering titles and it’s been such a long time now since Arsenal won the Premier League.

‘Last year was so close, I feel like we’re better off now this year, learning from that experience. I think that’s definitely a target and of course you’re in the Champions League, you go into the Champions League to win, you don’t go into (it) just to take part.

He claims to have ‘not really thought about the price tag once’ despite his £105m switch 

‘There’s always a narrative around Arsenal that they’re not going to win the Premier League or they haven’t been good enough.

‘But I didn’t see it in that way at all. I see it in a way that he (Arteta) has improved the squad every year. The players have improved individually. Everyone’s gone up another level and when I spoke to Mikel about the way he wanted me to play, where he sees me playing and the vision he has for Arsenal.

‘For me it is really exciting now to be a part of this project that Arsenal can get back to the big time and win some trophies.’

Rice is in the USA with his new team-mates as they ramp up preparations for the forthcoming campaign, with the Gunners aiming to go one better than their second-placed finish last season. 

Despite West Ham’s valuation of £105m for Rice’s services, the midfielder said ‘I’ve not really thought about the price tag once’, and hopes to repay that across the six years he is contracted to Arsenal. 

He admitted working under boss Mikel Arteta was a learning curve, but he wants to improve

He admitted that working under Arteta was a learning curve. Rice said: ‘I’m already seeing football in a completely different way. You think you know football growing up and when you play, but when you meet managers like Mikel, you realise you don’t really know anything about football.’

However, he says he is ‘eager to learn to improve, to ask questions, to do one-to-one training to improve and try and get it as quickly as possible’. 

Arsenal have friendlies remaining against Barcelona and Monaco in the coming week, before the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 6.

The following Saturday, Arsenal start their 2023/24 Premier League season at home to Nottingham Forest, the side who beat them in the penultimate week of last season to give Pep Guardiola’s side the title.