Arsenal’s new signing Declan Rice has stated that he anticipated the move to Arsenal over the last couple of years thanks to their ever-improving performances in the previous two seasons.

Arsenal may have only managed a Europa League appearance in the 2021/2022 season, but in the just concluded season, the Gunners went as far as chasing the Premier League title.

However, while West Ham United concluded the season lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League title, beating Fiorentina to the win, Arsenal failed to see off Manchester City, who won the treble of the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup.

Declan Rice immediately announced his exit from West Ham after the win in Prague and was courted by Arsenal, who eventually made him the second most expensive transfer in Premier League history, just behind Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea from Benfica.

Declan Rice cited the impact of Mikel Arteta’s influence as one of the reasons and their improving finishing in their last two seasons as his reasons for moving to the North London side.m

“I’ve been looking at Arsenal over the last couple of seasons and the trajectory they’ve been on. Not last season but the season before, they [only] finished fifth, but you could see the style of play Mikel was implementing. Last season was an outstanding season, blowing pretty much every team out of the water with the exception of Manchester City.” Declan Rice said.

Declan moved to Arsenal on a four-year deal with an option to extend for another year and becomes Arsenal’s third summer signing after Kai Havertz from Chelsea and Jurrien Timber from Ajax.

The Gunners are also linked with a couple of players, including Moses Caicedo from Brighton and Romeo Lavia from Southampton, both of whom have been linked to other clubs.

Arsenal’s first Premier League game of the season is at home to Nottingham Forest on August 12.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu