Bukayo Saka explains how he helped seal Arsenal transfer after speaking for Mikel Arteta
The Mirror Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka has shed light on the part he played in persuading Declan Rice to join the Gunners this summer.
Mikel Arteta's men pulled off one of the signings of the summer when they landed Rice's signature from West Ham for a club and then-British record fee of 105million, including add-ons. As with any deal worth such a figure, it was not a simple process for Arsenal, who had to deal with both negotiations with the Hammers and fend off interest from reigning champions Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola's side actually submitted a bid of their own, thought to have been worth around the 90m mark, but when Arsenal surpassed 100m City are believed to have walked away from any potential deal. While that was of course good news for the Gunners, it has since emerged that Arteta may have one of his own to thank for their part in the transfer.
Saka has discussed how he held talks of his own with Rice regarding the switch as he told talkSPORT: "Obviously hed ask a few questions and Id answer them, but yeah, Id just try to give him the reassurance that hed be coming to the right club and that the future is exciting for us. If he joined us, hed make us better and that yeah, we can definitely achieve things."
