Berta has already signed the new Rice for Arsenal

Following their win over Chelsea in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Wednesday night, William Saliba told the press that he and his Arsenal teammates “want to win everything.”

Now, Mikel Arteta’s side have come painfully close to glory in campaigns past, but this one really is starting to feel different; this time, the Gunners almost feel inevitable.

There is so much talent in the North Londoners squad, from their best-in-class defence to the attack, which is starting to click, and in the middle of the park, where Declan Rice is showing why fans sing about his £105m transfer fee being half price.

Moreover, it is now starting to look like Arsenal have unearthed another version of the Englishman in a player who, should they win the Premier League, will be looked at as an era-defining signing.

Declan Rice’s increible season

Now, while there have been the odd game here and there in which he has been subpar, it has to be said that Rice has been worth every penny Arsenal paid for him from the moment he arrived.

However, it simply has to be recognised that this season, the former West Ham United captain has stepped his game up another level.

The 27-year-old has seemingly combined his experience playing deeper with his position in the left eight to become arguably the best all-action midfielder in the Premier League, if not world football.

The “world-class” monster, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, pops up everywhere during games.

Need someone to snuff out an attack? He’s there.

Need someone to kickstart an attack from deep? Number 41 is your man.

Want someone to smash the ball into the back of the net from a cut back or deliver the ball from a perfect set-piece? The 72-capped monster has already done it.

It’s now easier to name the things the Englishman can’t do, which, at present, is probably just long throws.

Unsurprisingly, the North Londoners’ midfield general put in another stellar showing away to the Blues on Wednesday night, coming away with an assist and putting up some impressive statistics.

In his 82 minutes, he created one big chance, played four key passes, completed three crosses, took 64 touches, completed 100% of his dribbles, won 100% of his duels and didn’t get dribbled past even once.

In all, Rice is one of the most important players in Arsenal’s squad, and it looks like Arteta might have unearthed another midfielder just like him.

Arsenal’s new Rice

Arteta has built a cohort of incredibly talented midfielders at Arsenal, but when it comes to the signing who is starting to look a bit Rice-like, it has to be Martin Zubimendi.

The Gunners spent around £60m to sign the Spaniard from Real Sociedad in the summer, and since then, it’s been easy to see why more than a few other top European sides were interested in signing him.

Primarily a number six, the former Sociedad ace has been an important part of the North Londoners’ incredible defensive structure.=

It’s not always glamorous or even highlighted, but the 26-year-old has made a habit of recovering the ball from deep, getting his foot in the right place to take it off opposition players and shielding it when under pressure.

In a way, he’s doing what Rice did for much of his first season at the club, when he, too, was played deeper in the midfield.

That’s not where the similarities to the Englishman end, though, as, like his teammate, Zubimendi, is starting to show he is more than just a defensive midfielder; he is someone who can massively influence all phases of play.

Don’t just take our word for it, though, as following the win over Chelsea, Arteta said that his summer signing “can do anything” is “really good at carrying the ball” and has “really good timing arriving in the box.”

These traits were on full display against the Blues, as on more than one occasion, the Spaniard found himself in an attacking position, and in the second half, he beat two players in the penalty area before lashing the ball past Robert Sanchez.

That goal is his fourth of the campaign, and considering he also has three assists to his name, it’s time fans and pundits stopped looking at him as just another six, and as the potentially “project-defining signing,” that Arsenal writer Adam Keys has described him as.

Ultimately, Arsenal have a team full of world-class players, but it might just be the midfield duo of Rice and Zubimendi that push them over the edge this season.

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