Coach Arteta: 'Rice will be a beacon to light up Arsenal'

Rice is Arsenal's most anticipated rookie in the summer transfer window of 2023. With a total fee of $ 137 million, he is the most expensive player in the club's history, breaking Nicolas Pepe's record of $ 87 million in the summer of 2019. Midfielder 24 Age also broke the transfer record with an English player that belonged to Jack Grealish, who was bought by Man City from Aston Villa for $ 127 million in the summer of 2021.

"I see Rice as a beacon, will light up the players around and make the whole team better. His way of talking, ambition and desire and enthusiasm is just what we need." , Arteta praised the England player in an interview with arsenal.com homepage in Washington DC, USA.

The 41-year-old coach said that Rice is adapting quickly to the new environment because of her experience in the Premier League and has already known many English teammates through the national team systems, such as goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, defender Ben White, money. protect Emile Smith-Rowe and Bukayo Saka. Arteta praised Rice's leadership qualities, personality, which can give Arsenal more flexibility, depth, quality, and at the same time ignite the desire to win in a team with players who really want to push themselves to the next level. new high.

Arsenal spent the most since the beginning of the summer of 2023, when they recruited Kai Havertz from Chelsea for a total transfer fee of $ 82 million, Jurrien Timber from Ajax for $ 51 million and Rice from West Ham for a total of $ 137 million.

Arteta was pleased with the transfer process as Arsenal quickly brought in the players the team needed, helping them participate in the pre-season tour and had time to adjust to the whole team. "That was the goal when we started discussing transfer plans," he said. "Obviously that's hard to achieve, and the club has done a great job. It's great because we now have time to prepare properly. Every transfer window we try to do that, and every season. , we are all trying to develop the players to the next level. What we have done this summer has improved the squad significantly."

When asked about the pressure and expectation of winning the title after the transfer window, Arteta admitted: "We know that, but in the end, the most important thing is to play better and win every game. In order to do that, we have to improve and work in pre-season and that's what we're doing."

Despite spending nearly 300 million USD, Arteta said Arsenal can welcome more recruits before the transfer window closes on September 1. "Let's wait and see because there is still a lot of time in the market and a lot of expectations for the players," he said. "So we'll have to keep an eye on developments over the next few weeks. I'm sure things will change."

This summer, the Emirates Stadium owner has parted ways with Pablo Mari, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Granit Xhaka and is ready to sell Folarin Balogun, Nicolas Pepe, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Thomas Partey, Nuno Tavares, Cedric Soares if suitable offers are received.

Arsenal trained for the first time during their tour of the US at George Mason University in Washington DC on July 17. The "Gunners" will in turn meet the MLS All-Star in Washington on July 19, Man Utd in New Jersey on July 22, Barca in Los Angeles on July 26.