Why Declan Rice returns to West Ham as Arsenal’s ‘Van Dijk’ signing

When Declan Rice pictured himself at Arsenal, he tried to imagine how “unusual” a night like tonight would be. After a decade at West Ham, Rice returns to east London for the first time since his £105m move to the Gunners. He does so as the most expensive English player of all time and a West Ham legend at 24. Rice’s final West Ham appearance made sure of that: by lifting the Europa Conference League, he became just the third West Ham captain in the club’s history to win a major trophy.

The boy who was released by Chelsea aged 14 grew up at West Ham. He found a home and when he left, he did so as the club’s most established England international since Sir Trevor Brooking, their greatest captain since Bobby Moore and Billy Bonds. He left as an outstanding midfielder who had outgrown the London Stadium, who could have walked into and then improved any side in Europe.

That Rice chose to move across London and join Arsenal may have hurt the club and supporters he says he holds in his heart, which may be why some boos rain down on Wednesday evening, – but his application and commitment to West Ham when his head could have previously been turned, leading to a night of glorious triumph in Prague, ensures he should be “welcomed back with open arms”, as David Moyes put it. Through the years, West Ham have seen plenty of great names depart without managing to secure such a lasting achievement.

“The most important thing was that he gave 100 per cent in every game, even though we sort of knew he probably wasn’t going to stay at West Ham,” Moyes admitted. “For that alone he deserves to be cheered.”

“I hope so,” said Mikel Arteta, the manager who sold Rice the vision of what he could be for Arsenal. “Every time you hear him talk about West Ham and what they did for him and everybody at the club, he cannot speak any more highly. Hopefully, it will be the same way towards him.”

Given Rice’s ambition, West Ham could hardly stand in his way. Rice wanted to not just play in the Champions League, but win it. He looked at how close Arsenal came to beating Manchester City to the title last season and concluded that he could have made the difference. He wanted that responsibility – and knew how long it has been since Arsenal last won the Premier League.

“When I came here I wanted to be one of them players who makes a big impact, like [Virgil] van Dijk at Liverpool,” Rice said in a recent interview with BBC Radio 5 Live. If Van Dijk was the club-record £75m signing who took Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool from free-scoring but frail entertainers to the resilient and relentless mentality monsters, it is telling of how Rice views his own role in Arteta’s plan to win major honours.

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And like Van Dijk, Rice has settled at Arsenal immediately, a £105m signing who already looks like a safe investment. If Rice has brought a sense of authority and leadership to Arsenal’s midfield, it is in part because there was a lack of it at times last season. It has been especially apparent when they have been below their best. The Gunners can still blow teams away but Arteta’s side can now grind out results in close games as well. The wins against Manchester United, Manchester City and Sevilla stand out, as does the part Rice played in earning a point at Chelsea.

Rice has also given Arsenal another dimension, while adjusting to a completely different approach at the Emirates. Rice has gone from Moyes to Arteta, from playing in midfield for a team that averages just over 40 per cent of possession to a side that averages around 60 per cent. Moyes and Arteta offer a contrast in managerial styles but Rice’s importance to both systems is the constant, even if his role has changed since arriving at Arsenal as well.

While at West Ham, Rice’s standout statistics and defining characteristics were in his ability to intercept and carry in midfield, to be the disruptor and then the progressor in a deep-lying side. According to FBref, Rice’s interception and progressive carry figures ranked first and third in the Premier League last season – and were regularly among the highest in Europe during his time at West Ham.

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Now at Arsenal, Rice is 15th for interceptions so far this season, 11th in carrying distance in the league. But that is not to say Rice is not as effective, only now he has to pick and choose his moments. While Arteta wants his team to dictate and impose a plan, it is perhaps why Rice’s most decisive interventions have arrived when Arsenal have most needed them. It has been when beating City at the Emirates or seeing out a crunch Champions League win in Seville that Rice’s ability to break play and stretch the pitch comes to the fore.

If the 24-year-old is selected to face West Ham at the London Stadium – which is a fair question given Arteta is likely to again rotate his line-up – then his former supporters could well see the more restrained, controlled Rice that Arsenal require to dictate their tempo. If Rice was playing for West Ham against Arsenal, his impact would be obvious. Now it is the other way around, Rice’s contributions may be more subtle.

Rice admitted “[I’m] not sure exactly how I will feel” upon walking out in the bubbles as an opposition player – scoring a goal or playing a part in knocking West Ham out could complicate those feelings further. Rice delivered a major title to West Ham and it is the pursuit of further trophies that has motivated his impact at Arsenal as well. And, without wanting to disrespect his former club or the competition, Rice has bigger goals in mind this season than the Carabao Cup.