Declan Rice reveals exactly what he would do if he was in Mikel Arteta’s position 

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal’s pre-season would look very different if Mikel Arteta took Declan Rice’s recent advice on board.

Rice will be eyeing a season as successful as his debut campaign at Arsenal, with the only thing missing last term being silverware. 

The midfielder left his role as West Ham’s captain to sign for the Gunners last summer and his form would suggest that he hasn’t looked back.

As well as being an imperious force in Arteta’s midfield, the Englishman has also added goal contributions to his name and now, he’s turned his attention to management. 

• READ MORE: Everything to know on Arsenal’s Declan Rice from his girlfriend to height

What Declan Rice would do if he was Arsenal manager

When taking part in a video for Arsenal’s media team alongside Leandro Trossard and Takehiro Tomiyasu, Rice shed some light on what he’d do if he was in Arteta’s shoes.

The England international explained that if he was the manager, he’d aim to get everyone together by planning an action-packed pre-season trip, via Instagram.

“If I’m the manager, I’m doing five days, take the whole team to Vegas,” Rice explained as he added, “It gets everyone on side straight away doesn’t it?”

The Englishman’s idea saw his teammates laugh as his plan would be difficult to imagine under Arteta’s reign however, the boss has shared some more obscure methods of team building during pre-season.

Arteta hired pickpockets to test the squad during a meal, making Rice’s call for a five-day trip to Vegas less out of the ordinary. 

How Arsenal’s pre-season went heading into new Premier League campaign

With just one day until the Premier League gets underway for the Gunners, Rice’s dream trip will have to take the backseat as the action returns. 

Pre-season was a positive time for Arteta to assess his players away from the pressures that come with competitive fixtures, seeing Arsenal win three of five friendlies. 

• READ MORE: Three Arsenal stars who proved a point to Arteta in pre-season, including one who changed fans’ opinion

In the United States, the Gunners opened their tour with a draw against Bournemouth followed by a win versus Manchester United and a defeat to Liverpool.

Arsenal impressed on their return to the Emirates as Arteta watched his side dismantle German champions Bayer Leverkusen 4-1, as well as beating Olympique Lyon 2-0 in the Emirates Cup.

There was plenty to take from the pre-season action ahead of the Premier League opener against Wolves, where all that matters is getting three points on board to start the campaign brightly.