The Rice effect: How Arsenal's record transfer signals a new era of success

One of the longest transfer sagas of the summer window seems to be at an end as Arsenal look to have finally sealed the deal for Declan Rice.

The 24-year-old’s overall performance last season – culminating in West Ham’s historic Europa Conference League win, made it clear that he needed to take the next step for his career development.

The Gunners will be breaking their transfer record on the West Ham captain after a bid worth £100 million plus a further £5m in add-ons was accepted by the Hammers.

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The expectation will be big after such a huge outlay, but Arsenal’s persistence shows that the club hierarchy know what they want and like what they see in the England International.

So what can Arsenal fans expect from their new man?

Declan Rice is a rare player – a great athlete who is very solid defensively, good in the air, offers exceptional ball carrying ability and tops it off with having an eye for a pass.

Rice is frequently involved in breaking up play and winning the ball in the defensive third. His 1.73 interceptions (95th percentile) and 9.18 recoveries (99th percentile) P90 put him amongst the best in his position in the top 5 European leagues. He doesn’t tackle dribblers as often in a game, but his 62% success rate (96th percentile) shows that he is smart in knowing when to engage, and comes out on top very often.

With the ball, Rice uses his athleticism to drive into space. He attempts an impressive 2.42 progressive carries and 2.06 carries into the final third P90, and also completes almost 1 successful take on P90, using his quick feet to get past opponents.

When in possession, Rice is always involved and rarely gives the ball away. He offers security, variety and penetration through his passing - as can be seen from the table below.

2022/23 season data from Fbref (comparing midfielders from top 5 leagues)

The frequency and quality of his switches will be a great asset, especially when combining with Arsenal’s talented forward players.

There are still some aspects of his game that can be improved upon, and Mikel Arteta will be relishing the opportunity to mould him into an even more complete player.

How does Rice fit in at Arsenal?

Arsenal’s recruitment has been very successful in recent years. They have patiently built a squad of players who are comfortable in multiple areas of the pitch.

Last season’s signings of Zinchenko, Jesus, Trossard along with the recent acquisition Havertz, and imminent transfer of Rice and Timber show a strategic preference for technical and versatile young players who fit within the manager’s vision.

Arteta successfully moved to a 3-2-2-3 shape with a box midfield last season. It remains to be seen how that tactic evolves next season, but the addition of Rice gives the manager plenty of flexibility.

Rice can play in a deeper midfield role, sitting at the base of the midfield behind Odegard and Havertz. When in possession, either Zinchenko or Timber can invert into midfield, giving Rice the freedom to use his ball carrying ability that is missing from Arsenal’s other midfield options. He can also play alongside Partey or Jorginho in a pivot.

Alternatively, Rice can also be used in a more advanced box-to-box role as a direct replacement for Xhaka, whose off the ball movement caused opposition teams huge problems last season. Rice is a player who looks more comfortable when facing the goal and can thereby replicate Xhaka's off-ball movement by being more direct and aggressive.

Rice certainly has a big future ahead for both club and country. His ability to be a replacement for Xhaka and also cover in other midfield roles makes him a valuable and very exciting signing for Arsenal.