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Declan Rice has wrapped up a strong start to his Arsenal career after being voted the club’s Player of the Month for August.
Arsenal successfully rebuffed interest from Manchester City to secure Rice’s services in a record-breaking £105 million deal from West Ham last summer, and he has swiftly emerged as one of the club’s most influential figures.
The English international played a significant role in Arsenal’s impressive collection of seven points from the initial three fixtures of the season.
His diligent contributions in both defensive and offensive aspects earned him a commanding 56 percent of the votes, propelling him ahead of competitors like Eddie Nketiah, Ben White, and William Saliba in the Player of the Month poll.
Notably, Rice’s impact extended beyond the backline. Despite being statistically Arsenal’s most outstanding defender against Fulham, he showcased his versatility by excelling in attacking play.
His statistics for the month include 17 ball recoveries in the midfield, nine successful tackles, and four interceptions, effectively disrupting opponents’ game plans.
READ MORE: Declan Rice reveals why he rejected Man City to join Arsenal
Rice’s involvement in the attacking phase was equally impressive, as he registered 29 entries into the final third during the initial three league matches, providing crucial link-up play with the forwards. In the game against Nottingham Forest, he demonstrated his goal-scoring potential by recording the most shots on target, testing Matt Turner on three separate occasions.
His passing accuracy was exceptional, with a completion rate of over 92 percent for all his passes throughout the month. To witness some of his standout moments, watch the video above.
The 24-year-old is enjoying life at Arsenal and recently revealed in an interview with Joe Cole on Channel 4, the reason why picked Arsenal over Manchester City in the summer.
He said: “I have to say the manager. I think just from the moment that I met him, I knew he was the one I wanted to take the next step in my career with.”
Rice continued to explain how Arteta’s demeanor, football philosophy, and vision for the game were all key factors in his decision. He pointed to Arsenal’s style of play over the past two years as evidence of how he envisioned himself fitting into the team.
“Just the way he spoke, his aurora, 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.”
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