In some ways, Arsenal are in uncharted waters right here.
After unexpectedly difficult Manchester City for the 2022-23 Premier League title till late within the season, they’ve now agreed a payment of £105million ($133m) for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, topping City’s £90m supply for him.
That was Arsenal’s third bid on this window for the England worldwide. All have been properly over their present document outgoing transfer payment of £72million for Nicolas Pepe in August 2019, they usually symbolize a few issues in regards to the membership’s strategy to subsequent season.
Firstly, Rice has all the time been Arsenal’s prime goal. Secondly, supervisor Mikel Arteta’s fixed rhetoric of needing to “nail the recruitment” this summer season in press conferences has been understood and supported by the board — who’ve sanctioned what can be a record-breaking cost for a British participant.
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The heights Arsenal are prepared to go concerning the payment for Rice might confuse some however, from the membership’s perspective, touchdown the West Ham captain on this window is important.
Why? A variety of elements have been clear with the evolution of their recruitment technique over the previous two summers. Moving from ‘Project Youth 2.0’ going into the 2021-22 season to signing skilled gamers of their mid-twenties this time final yr was key to Arsenal elevating their degree.
Rice serves as a continuation of final summer season’s technique as a 24-year-old who has began all 12 of England’s video games on the previous two main tournaments, began 93 per cent (190) of his 204 league appearances for West Ham and pushed them to win the Europa Conference League last final month.
Alongside all that, he is one other participant whose attributes lend themselves to a couple of function, though the approaching signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea — who will possible fill the left-sided No 8 function for Arteta — would see Rice slot in as a No 6.
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With these components of the jigsaw in thoughts, Rice is considered one of only a few choices with the attributes and high quality to rival the league’s finest in that function.
In a West Ham shirt, he has turn into more and more a box-to-box midfielder, travelling ahead with the ball, however nonetheless has the expertise of enjoying a deeper function for each them and England. Rice’s defensive qualities (principally his anticipation and timing of tackles) are what instantly stand out when watching him. That eye check marries up with the numbers: final season his true deal with win price (denoting tackles plus challenges misplaced plus fouls dedicated) was the best within the Premier League (69.9 per cent from 113 true tackles or 4.2 per 1,000 opposition touches) amongst central and defensive midfielders.
For context, paired with Tomas Soucek for most of final season at West Ham, Rice didn’t need to defend on his personal in midfield however excelled when referred to as upon. Everton’s Amadou Onana and Tyler Adams of Leeds United had been in comparable conditions to Rice, as components of a midfield ensemble for bottom-half groups. Onana had a 67 per cent true deal with win price from 103 true tackles or 5.64 per 1,000 opposition touches whereas Adams had a 64.5 per cent true deal with win price from 138 true tackles or 8.84 per 1,000 opposition touches.
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Despite his dip in type in April, Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey did this a part of his function properly for most of final season.
In 33 appearances, he had a real deal with win price of 58.3 per cent from 115 true tackles, or 8.12 per 1,000 opposition touches. That usually fed into Arsenal’s capability to play a excessive line and dominate groups by conserving the ball within the attacking half whether or not they had possession or not. Again for comparability, Manchester City’s Rodri had a barely decrease true deal with win price of 56.4 per cent from 117 true tackles or 7.47 per 1,000 opposition touches.
In a unique space of midfield, Rice might be counted on extra however his earlier success price bodes properly. Extra safety additional again down the pitch may additionally give Arsenal’s extra superior midfielders even higher freedom than they loved final season, which may work properly with Havertz’s off-ball motion or the inclusion of Emile Smith Rowe in a extra central function.
What occurs with Rice in possession as an Arsenal participant is a bit extra of an unknown.
Some might even see that as a threat with a signing for a payment north of £100million who, like a lot of Arteta’s squad, might be moving into the Champions League for the primary time.
Rice has been extra prone to swap the ball to the wings with West Ham, which might be helpful with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka out huge. Arsenal are extra accustomed to their No 6, whether or not that is Partey or final January’s signing Jorginho, feeding vertical passes by means of the traces. Rice did this at instances for England on the World Cup in November and December, however changing into extra progressive in addition to measured on the proper instances to permit Arsenal time to breathe in sure matches — for instance, Jorginho within the 2-0 away win at Newcastle United in early May — is a possible space for progress.
For extra thought-about intervals of possession, persistence could also be wanted if they’re asking Rice to duplicate what Partey has carried out in that function for the previous two seasons. Arsenal’s pursuit of Ajax defender Jurrien Timber may assist issues, nonetheless. Last season, Ben White didn’t invert from right-back to the identical extent Oleksandr Zinchenko did at left-back. White sometimes supplied that help inside, however tended to remain in the identical line as centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel in build-up earlier than venturing ahead to both overlap or underlap Saka.
If Timber indicators to fill in at right-back with a barely totally different interpretation of the function to White, by which he inverts like Zinchenko so Rice would have choices both aspect of him in addition to by means of the traces, that might present extra fascinating developments for Arsenal’s play.
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Arsenal’s final two summer season home windows have been all about squad constructing. This one is no totally different. Now although, they’re at a stage the place including a number of high quality choices on the identical place is essential to push additional than they did final season whereas additionally bringing extra selection to their sport.
Rice is a key ingredient to Arsenal elevating themselves in each regards. Arteta knew it, sporting director Edu Gaspar knew it and that is why they’ve pushed so onerous.
Arsenal are not looking for final season to be a one-off, and getting this near signing up their major goal earlier than July begins most likely outlines that it received’t be.
(Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)