When Arsenal splashed out £105million on Declan Rice, it felt like the Gunenrs had finally found the missing piece of the jigsaw.

And for all intents and purposes that has been the case. All Arsenal are really missing now is a Premier League title to show for it.

Rice was the big-money signing that showed Arsenal mean business in the Premier League – that they are a force to be reckoned with. The Gunners have run Manchester City close in each of the last two seasons, but ultimately come up short, finishing five and two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side.

Mikel Arteta has his players geared up for another shot this time around and after seven games they are level on points with City, just one point off the top of the table, occupied by Liverpool early on.

Rice will be integral if Arsenal are to win a first title since 2004. He has been a superb signing since joining from West Ham United, making the central midfield position at the Emirates Stadium his own.

And one former England teammate could not believe Rice’s ability when he first met him during Three Lions training. Former Leeds United and Man City man Kalvin Phillips told Sky Sports : “Dec is unbelievable.

 

“Obviously when I first trained with him at England, I could tell he was a player that would go. He is not just an athlete.

“I didn’t expect him to be so tall, so strong. When I got there I was just gobsmacked by how well he was with the ball, how quickly he covered ground and how much he covered ground, and obviously I love Declan a lot.”