Bukayo Saka hails Arsenal’s ‘great leader’ in the dressing room | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka has hailed Declan Rice as a “great leader” and praised his growing influence inside the Arsenal dressing room, describing how the midfielder motivates the squad both on and off the pitch.

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Rice, who captained West Ham to European glory in 2023 before joining Arsenal in a half-price deal, has become one of the defining players in Mikel Arteta’s side.

His presence has been particularly valuable during a yet anotherseason disrupted by injuries to several senior players, with the 26-year-old taking a hands-on role in guiding younger teammates such as Max Dowman.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Saka said: “Yeah, I think with Decs, he’s not only a great player, but he’s a great leader. Obviously, he was captain at West Ham and even around Arsenal, you know, he’s a big leader.

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“He’s a guy who takes a lot of responsibility in the change room and gets the boys going. So, credit to him for that, and of course, he’s doing that here now as well. So it’s just a credit to him. He’s in really good form, really good moment, and happy to be his teammate.”

Rice’s leadership has been evident both on the pitch, where his consistency continues to anchor Arsenal’s midfield, and behind the scenes, where his influence has been central to maintaining focus ahead of what will be another demanding campaign.

With Arsenal competing on multiple fronts once again, Rice’s presence has added both authority and calm to a young side that continues to evolve under Arteta’s management.