Declan Rice has confessed he was shocked to see simply how sharp new Arsenal teammate Gabriel Martinelli was throughout pre-season.
Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham United this summer time in a £105m deal after the midfielder rejected curiosity from elsewhere to turn out to be the most costly addition to Mikel Arteta’s younger aspect.
Rice made the transfer earlier than Arsenal headed on their pre-season tour in the US, and instructed TNT Sports that one teammate particularly actually made an impression on him.
“After we have been away in America, I’ve by no means seen somebody so sharp in coaching as Martinelli,” he confessed. “He is so sharp.
“Martinelli is quicker than [Bukayo] Saka, 100%. These two on the wings is horrifying.”
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Rice additionally spoke on his expectations for Arsenal this season, as a membership working it is manner again to successful trophies beneath Arteta.
“I really feel like Arsenal – I mentioned it after I signed – it is about time Arsenal begin competing for large trophies once more,” he confused.
“It is so thrilling with the younger gamers we’ve, the supervisor, the vitality round now with the followers and across the crowd. We demand that of ourselves. We’re not simply right here to play for Arsenal. It is a massive membership enjoying on the Emirates in entrance of 60,000, we need to win now.”
Rice, who was captain of West Ham, additionally added that he desires to keep up his management position within the dressing room at his new membership.
He added: “I really feel like clearly we’ve some massive worldwide gamers right here. Worldwide captains. Clearly, Martin [Odegaard] is our skipper. As a result of we’ve these different massive characters as nicely it is only for me so as to add. I am not going to shrink back from what I used to be at West Ham.
“If I’ve acquired one thing to say I am going to say it and if I can assist anybody I am going to assist, however in fact there’s a great deal of different massive captains as nicely. The management group is absolutely good. It is about simply sticking collectively and attempting to push one another as a lot as potential.”
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