Rice Can Drive Arsenal To Success Next Season

Arsenal’s title challenge faltered after sitting top of the league for so long, with Manchester
City, due to The Gunners losing away at the now safe Nottingham Forest, defending their
crown. But it’s been a season of progress at the Emirates nonetheless, and this summer is
a chance to improve. A player reportedly high on Mikel Arteta’s list of priorities is West
Ham’s Declan Rice, and he could be integral in driving Arsenal to success next season.

When the current campaign kicked off, Manchester City were favourites to lift the Premier
League winners trophy where football betting online odds were concerned, and
Liverpool were expected to be their closest rivals. People probably didn’t imagine Arsenal
to have the season they’ve had, but they’ll be expecting something similar next season,
and if they were to bring in West Ham captain Rice, it’d undoubtedly improve their chances
of doing exactly that.

Arsenal, with Arteta in the dugout and Edu above him, heading up the recruitment, have
had a particular profile of player they look for when doing business, and Rice fits the bill.
He’s still only twenty-four, he’s got leadership qualities, having replaced West Ham stalwart
Mark Noble as captain this season, he’s got plenty of experience in the Premier League ,
Europe and at international level, and he’s versatile. What’s not to like?

Arsenal’s midfield trio, usually made up of captain Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and
Granit Xhaka, with the likes of new signing Jorginho and Fabio Vieira flitting in and out.,
haven’t done bad at all this season. But, Xhaka will leave the club this summer, with a deal
to join German outfit Bayer Leverkusen in the offing, and Rice, alongside Odegaard and
one of the others, would make the midfield unit a lot stronger.

Another perk that comes with signing Rice is that while he is predominantly a central
midfielder, he’s also an assured option at centre-back too, and will rarely disappoint when
playing in the position. It’s fair to say that when William Saliba has been missing, Arsenal
have struggled, and this was evidenced by their lead at the top of the table being undone

and their hand on the title losing grip. So, if there was another injury crisis at the back and
a need for someone of a good quality to step in temporarily, Rice would acquit himself
there in typical fashion.

People have labelled The Gunners as bottle jobs for essentially leading the title race all
season until the final stages and letting City usurp them. But you can’t deny the significant
process this young side has made. And adding Rice into that mix would certainly ensure
that they’re there or thereabouts again next term, and they may even go one better. West
Ham will demand a chunk transfer fee for their captain, but it seems they’re willing to do
business, and Arsenal will undoubtedly be keen to make it happen if the price is right.