Kieran Tierney has revealed that Declan Rice has told him he has already settled in very quickly at Arsenal.
Speaking to The Athletic, Tierney shared what Rice told him about his first impressions of Arsenal in a chat last week.
Rice completed a long-awaited move to North London this month after Arsenal finally agreed a £105 million deal with West Ham.
The 24-year-old has featured in two pre-season friendlies this summer, with Mikel Arteta quickly integrating the England star into his side.
And despite only signing for the Gunners just over a week ago, Rice has told Tierney that he feels like he’s been at the club for a long time.
What Rice has told Tierney about Arsenal
“Declan actually said the other day he feels like he’s been here for so long,” Tierney told The Athletic.
“It’s such a close group, great team-mates, great staff so I think they’re all loving it (the new players). We’ve had a few songs. Declan gave us Ice, Ice Baby as he always does.
“They’ve integrated really well and we’ve done team activities together. It’s been just what the new boys needed.”
It’s no surprise to hear that Rice has settled in quickly in North London considering Mikel Arteta has built a close-knit squad over the past few seasons.
The former West Ham skipper is expected to make a huge impact on this Arsenal side next season and his leadership qualities could be vital for Arteta moving forward.
Of course, Arsenal haven’t been in the best form during pre-season as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United over the weekend.
Rice was fairly quiet during the game, but that’s to be expected as he adjusts to a new system at Arsenal.
The Gunners look set to name a new-look midfield this season, with Rice and Kai Havertz coming into the side.
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