Shame he was a player I loved watching and wanted to see improve, but IMO he will be regarded as a flop for ultimately going to a club that has limited to no success. Would have loved him to improve bit by bit, be a captain that leads an European dominating English club to 1 or 2 Cls whilst improving England nt at the same time too.
I just don’t think Arteta is that great. Ten Hag looked just as good as Artetas 3 year built team in less than a year.
Arsenal seem like a regular top 4 club now buying flops of the succesful clubs like Zinchenko, Jesus, Havertz, Odegaard and maybe even Partey, looking more like a rebuilt good team than a great one like Klopps Liverpool or Peps City.
I do wonder what will happen to Arteta if he misses out in the CL next year,
seems unlikely but not impossible too (possible improvements of Liverpool, United, Newscastle, Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa - with new players or managers) and Rice chose such a move when Arsenal didnt achieve anything of notice this year except just a notice of impr0vement.
Ten hag got 3rd, 2 cup finals & a semi final in less than a year & just 1 transfer window. Madness the different in quality.
It was ultimately not the right fee, not the right time or the right position because we ultimately have Casemiro - something/someone I see as the best and most experienced version of Rice himself.