Arsenal: £240k-a-week star will now 'surprise a lot of people' at the Emirates | OneFootball

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Arsenal spent big during the summer transfer window, and journalist Paul Brown has discussed one player who he thinks could surprise people, while speaking to GIVEMESPORT.

Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar recruited impressively, strengthening multiple positions before the window slammed shut earlier this month.

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The Gunners knew that in order to compete with Manchester City for the Premier League title, bringing in some top-quality players would be necessary. Although Arsenal pushed Pep Guardiola's side all the way, ultimately, the north London club failed to secure the trophy.

In fact, City won the treble with Arsenal ending the season with no silverware, so it wasn't a surprise to see over £200m spent on reinforcements.

The Gunners have got off to an unbeaten start to the season, winning three of their opening four Premier League games, drawing at home to Fulham in the process. The new additions have certainly helped Arteta build a deeper squad which will hopefully allow Arsenal to compete on all fronts this campaign. The north London club qualified for the Champions League which kicks off later this month, after only participating in the Europa League last term.

This summer certainly wasn't the beginning of Arsenal spending big, however, as they now have a net spend on transfers of £745m over the last 10 years, as per CIES Football Observatory.

Declan Rice will surprise a lot of people - Paul Brown

Rice, who is earning £240k-a-week at the Emirates Stadium, has quickly become a key player for the Gunners, despite only playing a handful of games. After costing £105m, there was plenty of expectation on his shoulders, which might have been difficult for the England international to deal with at first. However, the former West Ham United midfielder appears to have adapted with ease.

Brown has suggested that Rice could surprise a lot of people at Arsenal, who maybe didn't realise he was as good as he is. The journalist adds that those who have worked with him for England and West Ham have spoken incredibly highly of the 24-year-old. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown said...

Is Rice one of Arsenal's best signings in recent history?

Rice is undoubtedly one of the best-holding midfielders in world football, not just the Premier League. As we've seen with Moises Caicedo, who recently moved to Chelsea, it's not easy to change clubs and make an instant impact, especially with a hefty transfer fee on your back.

Rice's winning goal against Manchester United earlier this month was the icing on the cake for his first four games under Arteta.

Although Rice scored at the Emirates, he wasn't signed for his goalscoring exploits, but popping up late on to help defeat a Premier League rival is certainly a huge bonus. Arteta was full of praise for the England international following the game, saying: "He was outstanding. But the whole team was as well. Rice gave us the momentum in the moments the team needed it. It is a beautiful thing how these turned around and we won the game."

There's certainly an argument that Rice is one of the best holding midfielders in world football, and this opinion may become more popular now he's playing for a club like Arsenal, where he can compete in the Champions League. Asmir Begovic, who is currently plying his trade in the Championship with Queens Park Rangers, is someone who shares that opinion...