Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has opened up about his surprise at the impressive performance of one of his teammates since joining the club.
Rice made a significant move to Arsenal in a record-breaking £105 million deal from West Ham, capping off his tenure with the Hammers by leading them to victory in the Europa Conference League final.
Since he arrived at the Emirates, the England international has seamlessly integrated into Arsenal’s midfield, featuring in 36 matches across all competitions, with just one absence. His presence has undoubtedly elevated the quality within the Arsenal squad.
However, Rice revealed that he was pleasantly surprised by the exceptional abilities of Gabriel Magalhaes upon joining forces with him. The Brazilian defender has formed a formidable partnership with William Saliba at the heart of Arsenal’s defense.
“I can’t speak highly enough of them, I’m not going to sit here and lie,” Rice shared in an interview with TNT Sports.
“I think Saliba is unbelievable, obviously I heard about all the talk of him before I came here, and the one who’s surprised me is Gabriel.
“He’s so aggressive, so strong, really wants it all the time, never loses a duel.
“When you’ve got two centre-backs like that who want it, play aggressively, it helps and gives you confidence.”
After a disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Porto, where Arsenal failed to register a single shot on target, they bounced back with a convincing 4-1 victory over Newcastle United.
