Declan Rice will be a ‘lighthouse’ for Arsenal – Mikel Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described Declan Rice as the missing piece to their work and has tipped the England international to be the club’s ‘lighthouse.’

Rice officially completed his move to the Emirates Stadium last week joining the club from West Ham United in a deal worth over 100 million.

The midfielder is the Gunners’ third summer signing following earlier deals for Kai Havertz and Jurriem Timber as they look to challenge for the league title again.

Arsenal managed a second-place finish in the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 season, missing out on the league title to Manchester City despite being on top of the table for 247 days.

“I see him like a lighthouse,” Arteta said of England international Rice. “He is willing to put the light in others, improve others and make the team better.

“We discussed a while ago how he could evolve the team and compliment the players and take that winning hunger into a team with players who really want to push themselves to a different level.

“He has an aura. The experience he has in this league is going to bring the team to a different dimension. He has the physical qualities we were missing for a while.

“The way he talks and presents himself. The ambition he has and his passion for the game is exactly what we needed.”

Arsenal are currently on a pre-season tour in the United States of America where they face MLS All-Stars on Wednesday, July 19.