Declan Rice reveals his shock favourite Arsenal team-mate so far and says ‘you wouldn’t put us together’
DECLAN RICE has named Leandro Trossard as his favourite Arsenal team-mate since joining the club.
Rice, 24, signed for the Gunners earlier this month in a huge £105million transfer from West Ham.
He has already featured in two pre-season friendlies for Mikel Arteta‘s men – coming on as a substitute in a 5-0 win over the MLS All-Stars, before he started a defeat to Manchester United on Saturday.
And he has also begun to form relationships with the Arsenal players off the pitch.
But it is ex-Brighton man Trossard, 28, who only joined the North London club in January, that Rice has immediately hit it off with.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “You know what? I think from the first day when I was there, Leandro Trossard.
“You wouldn’t put us two together, I would say, but he’s a really, really top guy.
“I sat next to him on the plane. I’ve been with him here quite a lot. He’s just an all-round top person.
“I’ve really got on with him and playing against him in the past as well, he was always a pain so it’s nice to have him on my side now.
“He’s such a top player, but I feel like with everyone here, like all of the Brazilian guys, the Portuguese guys, the French guys, like everyone is so top, and from the outside you see Arsenal was like a big family together.
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“And that’s exactly what it is inside the dressing room, which is really good.”
Rice is set to make his competitive debut for Arsenal next Sunday in the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Arteta’s men begin their Premier League campaign at home to Nottingham Forest on August 12.
And Rice believes, after finishing second last season, that Arsenal can push on and challenge for trophies.
He added: “I don’t think we are far off [silverware] at all.
“Obviously this year there’s going to be pressure on us to win and I think we want that pressure, that’s why we play football.
“You want to win trophies, you want to compete at the highest level and all the lads are really motivated and driven and that comes from the manager. It’s really exciting.”
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