In the aftermath of Arsenal’s groundbreaking transfer deal to secure the signing of England international Declan Rice, star midfielder Martin Odegaard expressed his relief at no longer having to face off against Rice on the pitch. Odegaard, who previously faced the tough midfielder when he was with West Ham, is now looking forward to having Rice as a valuable teammate.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, had identified Rice as his top summer transfer target since January, and after a protracted saga, the deal was finally sealed last week. Rice is now set to make his debut for Arsenal against the MLS All-Stars, and Odegaard is thrilled to have him on the team, praising his leadership qualities and all-around play.
“Every time I played against him, I saw the quality,” Odegaard remarked when asked about his experiences facing Rice. “He’s a leader as well, so it’s great for me to work together with him, and hopefully, we can help each other a lot. We had some tough battles, so I’m happy to have him on the team, and hopefully, we can find a good connection very quickly.”
Rice’s arrival is not the only exciting addition to Arsenal’s squad. With the likes of Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz also joining the ranks, Arsenal is aiming to improve on last year’s runner-up finish in the Premier League. As the Arsenal captain, Odegaard is determined to play a key role in integrating the new signings and making them feel welcome.
“I try to speak to them to see if they need something or if I need to explain something to them on the pitch about how we do things,” Odegaard said. “Just making sure that they feel welcome and to help them understand our game model. I think this team is great at welcoming new players. We’re like a family, we’re really together. I feel like they’re happy and part of the team and the family already.”
Despite the excitement surrounding Rice’s arrival, Arteta is taking a cautious approach to integrate him into the squad. The 24-year-old midfielder did not participate in last night’s All-Star Skills Challenge as the manager wants to ease him in gradually due to a hectic schedule.
“We just wanted to manage him,” Arteta explained. “A lot has happened to him in the last five or six days, a very hectic schedule. He had a few training sessions that were really good, but prior to that, he didn’t do much before he joined us. So we wanted to just manage him. He trained today with us, he was in good form, and he’s fine.”
With Rice’s addition and Odegaard’s leadership, Arsenal fans are eagerly anticipating a successful season ahead, as the team aims to challenge for top honors in both domestic and international competitions.
