Future is bright at Arsenal with new arrivals, ‘special’ crop of youngsters, says Declan Rice

SINGAPORE – Arsenal’s new signings and a crop of up-and-coming young players are setting the team up for a promising future, said English midfielder Declan Rice. 

The team’s new additions – midfielders Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and winger Noni Madueke – will give the Gunners the depth they lacked last season, he said.

“We played pretty much half of (last) season with so many injuries. So to now be able to rotate and push in different competitions with different players, it’s going to be really good.

“Tonight was a really good outing. We looked really good, fit and strong,” said Rice during an interview after

Arsenal’s 1-0 friendly win over Italian side AC Milan

at the National Stadium on July 23. 

England star Bukayo Saka scored the match’s only goal to mark a successful start to Arsenal’s pre-season campaign.

Academy graduates Max Dowman and Marli Salmon – both just 15 years old – made their debuts for the club, while Josh Nichols, 18, was also given a run-out.

Dowman, who replaced Man of the Match Saka on the right wing, showed glimpses of his much-touted talent and fearlessness, running at the AC Milan defence and not shirking challenges against imposing opponents, including 1.94m Serbian defender Strahinja Pavlovic.

Post-game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta noted it was “incredible” how the teens acquitted themselves and Rice, too, said he was hugely impressed.

“Just how composed and calm they are, at 15 or 16 years old, that’s way different from how I was – they play with no fear,” said Rice, 26.

“We’ve got a really good crop of youngsters coming through and obviously Max will get a lot of the talk, but there’s a lot of other players as well that are really, really special. So we’ve got a lucky future ahead of us.”

Rice also lavished praise on his England teammate Madueke – who did not join Arsenal on their pre-season tour after

signing from Chelsea on July 18

, having been given a break after being a part of the Blues’ squad that won the post-season Club World Cup.

“He’s one of those people that lifts the dressing room,” said Rice, adding that he was “blown away” by the midfielder’s personality and character at their first meeting during an England call-up.

“He really cares about his football, has really high demands... (and) when he gets the ball, he just wants to beat his man, and he’s so positive and direct.”

Some Arsenal supporters had mixed reactions to Madueke’s signing – reportedly costing the club £48.5 million (S$83.9 million) – but Rice backed the new man to prove the critics wrong.

“I didn’t like it, if I’m speaking honestly,” he said of the negativity. “You’re going to see what he’s about this season. He’s so driven and he really wants to prove himself and show everyone what he really can do... There’s a hunger inside his belly.

“As players that have played with him, we know the quality he has and we’re really looking forward to having him come and play for us.”

Rice, who joined Arsenal from West Ham for £105 million in 2023, is one of the Gunners’ most popular players, as evidenced on July 23 by the cheers at the National Stadium reaching a crescendo after his name was announced as part of the starting line-up.

Fans will be able watch Rice and his team run drills during an open training session at the National Stadium on July 25, ahead of their second tune-up match, against fellow English Premier League side Newcastle United, at the same venue on July 27.

Rice is hoping for another strong showing and positive result against the Magpies as Arsenal rev up for the new season, where they will aim to better three consecutive runner-up finishes in the EPL and lift the title for the first time since 2004.

Rice, who smiled modestly after one journalist brought up his heroic showing against Real Madrid in the Champions League in April – where he scored two free kicks in 12 minutes – said that he was also striving to make a bigger and more consistent impact on the pitch in the coming season.

“At the start of last season, I was nowhere near the level that I require of myself... It was really hard and took me a few months to get going again,” he said.

But things are shaping up to be different this year. Having had more rest and time off – his pre-season preparations last term were impacted by England’s run to the Euro 2024 final – Rice hopes to hit the ground running when Arsenal kick off their Premier League campaign against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Aug 17.

“I’m putting really big demands on myself this year,” said Rice. “More goals, more assists and to impact the games more... And set myself some numbers.

“The best players in the world do that – they want to try and push themselves – and that’s what I’m trying to do.”