PUNDIT Danny Murphy claims he had a private chat with Arsenal-bound Declan Rice and he gushed over Mikel Arteta.
The West Ham captain looks set to move to the Gunners for £105million.
Arsenal and Manchester City saw bids rejected by the Hammers before a deal was struck.
Rice is set to join the North Londoners in the coming days with his medical scheduled.
Murphy claims he bumped into him while out and the midfielder heaped praise on his new manager.
The ex-Liverpool and Fulham man told the FIVE podcast: “I’ve got to say, I saw Dec on Sunday at the cafe by mine.
“He was outside, I popped out to see him, I was just ordering a full English, actually.
“We were chatting, and he was buzzing. He couldn’t wait to get to Arsenal. He said Arteta was magic when he met him.”
The Spaniard has reportedly played a key role in convincing Rice to join Arsenal and there has been rumours they held a secret meeting.
Murphy also believes that the 24-year-old could hit double figures for goals in all competitions next season.
There has been suggestions that Rice could play a different role at Arsenal with Granit Xhaka set to leave the club.
It could see him take over the box-to-box position as a No8 rather than the holding midfielder as he predominately is for West Ham and England.
Rice could not be the only name through the door at the Emirates in the next week with the Gunners closing in on the signing of Ajax defender Jurrien Timber.
