Bukayo Saka reveals he encouraged Declan Rice to join Arsenal
Arsenal pulled off a huge coup this summer when they signed midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham for an enormous £105m. Rice has quickly settled in and produced his most memorable moment so far when he scored against Manchester United on Sunday.
The 96th minute strike put Arsenal 2-1 ahead, sending the home fans into wild celebrations, before Gabriel Jesus rounded off the scoring in a 3-1 win.
Arsenal were far from the only team interested in Rice, and it turns out that teammate Bukayo Saka played his part in the move.
Saka helped encourage Rice to join Arsenal
Saka revealed that he had been encouraging Rice to join Arsenal, telling his England teammate that Emirates Stadium was the right place for him.
“Obviously he’d ask a few questions and I’d answer them,” Saka told talkSPORT. “But yeah, I’d just try to give him the reassurance that he’d be coming to the right club and that the future is exciting for us.”
“If he joined us, he’d make us better and that yeah, we can definitely achieve things.”
Rice has been welcomed by Arsenal fans
Arsenal fans have taken to Rice very quickly, chanting his name after the win over the Red Devils, with Saka delighted to see his teammate with club and country shine.
“It was an unbelievable moment for him and his family. Even the stadium, he said it was crazy when he felt the atmosphere,” said Saka. “He’s right though, it’s really special to play there.”
“I’m just happy he’s happy and that he’s performing, and he’s got his first goal as well, I don’t think there’s a better moment for him to get his first goal. So yeah, I’m happy for him.”
Conclusion
Bukayo Saka played a key role in helping Declan Rice make the move to Arsenal this summer. The England teammates have formed a strong bond on and off the pitch, and Saka was delighted to see Rice score his first goal for the Gunners against Manchester United.
Rice has been welcomed by Arsenal fans and is already making a big impact at the Emirates Stadium. With Saka’s help, Arsenal have pulled off a huge coup in signing Rice and it looks like it could be a move that pays off for years to come.