Declan Rice is helping Arsenal improve on and off the pitch
Arsenal are in great form right now and Declan Rice deserves huge praise. This was not only due to his impressive performances on the pitch, but also because he encouraged the club to strengthen during the summer transfer window.
Last season, the Gunners finished second in the Premier League for the third consecutive year and reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2009. Yet this season still felt like a setback for Mikel Arteta’s side, who finished with 15 fewer league points than in 2023/24.
Improvement was needed – and Rice made that abundantly clear after Arsenal’s disappointing Champions League exit to PSG in May. “Hopefully in the summer we strengthen and sign more players, because we will probably lose some players,” he said.
“We’re going to come back next year and be ready and stronger and even hungrier to win something for this club. That’s what we all want.”
The midfielder’s call was taken seriously. Arsenal spent £256m on the new player, aiming to transform him from a mostly man-made player into a bona fide champion.
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They spent £63 million on Victor Goqueres, and after a somewhat slow start in north London, he has finally given the team a real focus and reliable goal-scoring source. A further £67 million was invested in Eberechi Eze. Eberechi Eze has strengthened Arsenal’s attack with his energy and has already repaid some of his wages with a sensational hat-trick against Tottenham.
Noni Maduke was brought in to add depth up front, while Martin Zvimendi and Christian Norgaard strengthened the midfield with their technical quality and control. Pierro Hincapie and Cristian Mosquera have arrived to strengthen the backline, while Kepa Arrizabalaga has arrived to back up David Raya and provide valuable experience in the Europa League and Premier League.
Overall, the Gunners look as balanced and united as ever under Arteta. They may not crush every opponent, but they play with a high level of control and confidence at home and abroad, suggesting the team is on the verge of something noteworthy.
Arsenal currently lead both the Premier League and Champions League groups. They got off to an ideal start in Europe, beating Atlético Madrid 4-0 and defeating Bayern Munich 3-1.
Their domestic form began more tentatively. A 1-0 loss to Liverpool in August and a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in September (saved by a late equalizer from Gabriel Martinelli) showed there was still work to be done.
But since then they have won 12 of their last 13 games in all competitions and kept nine clean sheets. Their defensive prowess temporarily put them on track to break Chelsea’s record for the fewest goals conceded in a Premier League season (15).
The clean sheets have been dry in recent weeks, but that shouldn’t be enough to stop Arsenal from dominating in every area. Their momentum now puts an end to their more than 20-year wait for the Premier League and they are favorites to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in history.
If this trajectory continues, Rice’s roar in May could be the spark that ultimately transforms Arsenal from a team with potential to a team of champions.
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