Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has admitted manager Mikel Arteta played an integral role in his decision to join the club ahead of Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Gunners beat their Premier League rivals to sign Rice in a £105 million deal from West Ham.
At one point during the summer, Manchester City were believed to be favourites to sign Rice, especially as they just won the treble under Pep Guardiola.
However, the 24-year-old has revealed that the prospect of playing under Arteta was a key factor behind his move to north London.
Rice told Channel 4: “I have to say the manager, Mikel. I think just from the moment that I met him, I knew he was the one I wanted to take on the next part of my career.
“Just the way he spoke, his aura, the way he sees the game, the way he wants to play football, and I think we’ve seen Arsenal the way they’ve played the last two years, the way they’ve played as a team, I really see myself fitting in.”
