3 ways Arsenal can deploy Declan Rice next season

Rice is a culinary staple that can be enjoyed as part of many different dishes, and this versatility extends to the football pitch as its sporting namesake nears a club-record move to the Emirates Stadium.   

After weeks of tough negotiations, Arsenal managed to fight off strong interest from Manchester City and, on Wednesday, finally reached a £105m agreement for the West Ham skipper – whose north London preference never wavered throughout the lengthy talks.

3 ways Arsenal can deploy Declan Rice during the 2023/24 campaign 

The rare first-choice coup represents a huge win for Mikel Arteta as he has stressed the importance of “seeking excellence” and wants to sign players who can make a big impact at the club, with Rice’s wide-ranging skillset likely to help us mount another title charge next season.

He ticks a lot of midfield boxes, and here are three ways Arsenal could use Rice in 2023/24 and beyond.

1. Play him as the holding midfielder

Perhaps the most natural and probable fit of all.

Rice regularly featured at the base of midfield last term and, as speculation grows over the future of Thomas Partey, he will likely perform similar duties in the Arsenal engine room.

The no. 6 position would complement his style because Rice thrives when blocking off potential passing lanes and often makes vital interceptions to shut down transitional attacks – completing a league-high 63 interceptions in 2022/23.

Furthermore, the 24-year-old provides a lot in build-up phases as he can use both feet to bypass pressing forwards and never shies away from receiving the ball even in vulnerable areas, with physical strength helping him to shrug off any challenge.

A duel monster with sharp awareness and commendable discipline, Rice might help us scale new heights as the midfield linchpin.

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