Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hailed Declan Rice and Kai Havertz’s impact since their arrival at the Emirates last summer.
The Gunners paid a combined £170m to bring the midfielders to the club, and Arteta claims the pair have contributed a great deal during their short time with the team:
“That (physicality) is a huge quality of theirs but as well their intelligence, their character, the passion they have for the game and how competitive they are.”
“You have to add a lot of elements. One specific element is not enough at this level to make a huge impact on the team. But those two have brought a lot of qualities.”
Rice has flourished since moving to Arsenal
While many expected a lot of the England international following his £105m move from West Ham last summer, he has surpassed all expectations.
Not only has Rice managed to be a very effective holding midfielder, he has produced moments of real quality further up the pitch too, having made 13 goal contributions in all competitions.
Havertz has had a much rougher start
Plenty of supporters questioned the decision to sign the German from Chelsea at the start of the campaign. The £65m fee also looked rather steep, considering his rather inconsistent displays over the past couple of years.
Concerns about Havertz appeared to be justified as he struggled in the opening few months of the season. His game didn’t seem to suit the “advanced 8” position that Arteta had deployed him in.
However, things changed when he was asked to cover for Gabriel Jesus. The 24-year-old has been in outstanding form in front of goal over the last few weeks, and he will be hoping to continue in that vein.
