Declan Rice has revealed he was summoned by head coach Mikel Arteta to his office despite being one of the best midfielders in the world. The 26-year-old has helped the Gunners to their stunning form and records. Despite this, the Arsenal coach was annoyed by Rice and some of his tactical aspects.
Rice might be in his best form right now, but the former West Ham player was not the same at the beginning of the season. The English player was a starter against Manchester United and Leeds United and did not perform to his best level. This is what made Arteta have honest words with the midfielder.
Declan Rice reveals why Mikel Arteta was unhappy with Arsenal star and summoned him to his office
Rice was summoned by the Arsenal boss to his office at the Sobha Realty Training Centre. The player revealed that he was pushed by him just after two games and was not happy. Speaking to Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp, Rice said:
“At the start of the season, the manager pushed me a lot. I think after two games, I was in his office. He pulled me in.”
Rice, to the aforementioned interview, said that Arteta “wasn’t happy about a few things.” This made the Arsenal midfielder wonder about what went wrong, and he asked the manager about the things that made him unhappy.
Rice revealed:
“There were a few clips, just of things that I wasn’t doing right. Things that are basics in terms of running and tracking your men and with the ball, positional-wise, that he wasn’t too happy with.”
However, Rice took these things on a positive note and “realised” that he was not performing to his best level. He added that Arteta is aware when and how to push the midfielder to get the best out of him.
Rice, who joined the Premier League side in July 2023, further said that the complains doesnt make him feel bad about it but instead improve. Meanwhile, it indeed shows that it helped him grow better as a player, as his performance got better. From being a slow starter, Rice has now become one of the best players in the league.
Meanwhile, the Premier League table toppers will face fourth-placed Liverpool in Week 21 of the EPL 2025-26 season. They are 14 points ahead of the Reds, coming from a 3-2 win against Bournemouth. The Gunners will seek to win their eighth top-flight home game in a row and continue thier dominace in the league.
ALSO READ: Arsenal injury report: Latest on Mikel Arteta’s Premier League clash against Liverpool