Arsenal Could Improve Even If Declan Rice Joins Manchester City

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 19: Declan Rice of England celebrates after the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying ... [+] round group C match between England and North Macedonia at Old Trafford on June 19, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Declan Rice has a decision to make. Linked with a summer transfer to Arsenal for months, the England international is now interesting Manchester City who have reportedly lodged a bid with West Ham. Rice is openly ambitious and wants to play at the top level, so which club would be the better fit for him?

At Arsenal, Rice would be a key figure, particularly with midfielders Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka expected to be on their way out of the Emirates Stadium. At Manchester City, the 24-year-old would face much stiffer competition for a starting spot, but he’d be playing for the Premier PINC League champions and Treble winners. He’d collect silverware there without even trying.

So much of Arsenal’s summer transfer strategy has been built on the notion Rice would join them. Mikel Arteta clearly wants to rebuild his midfield unit and has identified Rice as the ideal addition to help him do this. Losing out on the England international, to Manchester City no less, would be a major blow.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, applauds their fans after their side's ... [+] defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium on May 14, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

And yet Arsenal have lost out on targets in the transfer market before only to find an even more suitable player. The Gunners have a recruitment department proven at finding talent at the right value and so Arteta should trust the club to find him the players he requires even if Rice ends up at City.

Before Arsenal signed Gabriel Jesus, for example, they wanted Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbian striker ultimately signed for Juventus and has struggled to make much of an impression for the Turin club. Jesus, meanwhile, gave Arsenal the fluidity and attacking cohesion they needed to become Premier League title challengers.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - MAY 07: Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal during the Premier League ... [+] match between Newcastle United and Arsenal FC at St. James Park on May 07, 2023 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Before Arsenal signed Oleksandr Zinchenko, they wanted Lisandro Martinez. While the Argentine went on to become an instant success for Manchester United, the signing of Zinchenko allowed Arteta to devise the midfield structure that would get the best out of Martin Odegaard by giving him the freedom to push forward.

Leandro Trossard hit the ground running after joining Arsenal from Brighton in January, but he was the Gunners’ second choice after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk who signed for Chelsea instead. While Trossard quickly became an integral part of Arteta’s attack, Mudryk struggled to find his feet at Stamford Bridge.

None of this is to say Rice wouldn’t improve Arsenal’s midfield - he would clearly give Arteta a lot of what he is looking for this summer - but they should take encouragement from how quickly they have pivoted in the transfer market before if City end up beating the Gunners to their top target.