Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has singled out Gabriel Magalhaes as the teammate who has impressed him the most since joining the Gunners. Rice, who made a significant impact at the Emirates following his £105 million move from West Ham United in the summer, has been instrumental in Arsenal’s success this season.
Establishing himself as one of the top defensive midfielders globally, Rice’s contributions have elevated Arsenal’s performance, notably contributing to their formidable defensive record in the Premier League.
Ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Newcastle United, which ended in a convincing 4-1 victory, Rice commended Arsenal’s defensive pairing, particularly praising William Saliba as ‘unbelievable’ while highlighting his pleasant surprise at Gabriel Magalhaes’ performance.
“I can’t speak highly enough of them, I’m not going to sit here and lie. I think Saliba is unbelievable, obviously heard about all the talk of him before I come here, and the one who’s surprised me is Gabriel,” Rice told TNT Sports, as quoted by Metro.
Rice emphasized Gabriel’s aggressive style of play, noting its significant contribution to Arsenal’s success on the field and instilling confidence in his teammates.
“He’s so aggressive, so strong, really wants it all the time, never loses a duel. When you’ve got two center-backs like that who want it, play aggressively, it helps and gives you confidence.”
With the convincing victory against Newcastle United, Arsenal has narrowed the gap with the top two teams, Liverpool and Manchester City, to just two and one point, respectively.
