A round-up of the latest Arsenal news as Ian Wright slams a ‘disappointing’ Gunners player and Mikel Arteta shares an update on Jurrien Timber’s return from his injury.
Cesc Fabregas ‘knew’ Declan Rice was ‘exactly’ who Arsenal needed to sign
Arsenal hero Cesc Fabregas feels Mikel Arteta made a ‘fantastic’ decision by signing Declan Rice as he was ‘exactly’ who the Gunners’ XI needed. The 25-year-old quit West Ham United after a decade in claret-and-blue to secure a move from west to north London last summer.
Rice cost Arsenal a club-record fee to sign after captaining West Ham to win their first major trophy since 1980. But Fabregas believes the 50-cap England star already proved he was ready for the challenge. Now, Arteta is reaping the rewards from signing their missing piece.
Arteta has used Rice in 43 of Arsenal’s 44 games across all competitions so far this season. He has also seen the London native bag six goals and assist seven times. Yet Fabregas feels Rice is showing the player he was already at West Ham and who Arsenal were crying out for.
“For me, he was already a proven player,” Fabregas told the Evening Standard. “You could see for two, three years that he was ready to jump into a big club.
“It’s all about his quality but also his personality. I knew straight away this was a fantastic signing. This was exactly what Arsenal needed.”
Read more about what Fabregas has had to say about Arsenal midfielder Rice, here.
Mikel Arteta backs Jurrien Timber to have a ‘big, big impact’ on his return from injury
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta backs Jurrien Timber to deliver a ‘big, big impact’ when the 22-year-old finally returns from an injury. The Gunners have been without their summer signing since he suffered an ACL injury on the opening day of the Premier League season in August.
Timber required surgery for his knee injury but has been ramping up his recovery in training at London Colney recently. Now, the Dutchman is on the verge of making his comeback with the Gunners. But Arteta wants Timber to play for Arsenal’s Under-21s before the first-team.
“He’s still got a few steps to make,” Arteta said on Friday. “He needs to play [one] game at least with the Under-21s. He’s going to have an in-house game soon, as well.
“He’s done everything in training. Now, he’s getting that match fitness and having people around is like competing in a football match, which is different to training.
“Hopefully, [Timber will add] a lot. For everything that we see in training and the time that he was fit, I think he’s gonna have a big, big impact in the team.”
Read every word that Arteta had to say in his pre-Aston Villa press conference, here.
Ian Wright admits Jakub Kiwior ‘disappointed’ the Arsenal legend vs Bayern Munich
Ian Wright has admitted that Jakub Kiwior ‘disappointed’ the Highbury hero during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Leandro Trossard salvaged their stalemate late on in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Arsenal travel to Bavaria on April 17.
Kiwior only featured during the first half at Emirates Stadium as Mikel Arteta hooked the 24-year-old for Oleksandr Zinchenko. The Poland centre-half struggled in his makeshift role as a left-back against Leroy Sane, whose mazy burst from the wing led to Harry Kane’s penalty.
Sane had Kiwior spinning at every chance and Wright believes the Tychy native never knew how to handle the 28-year-old. Wright feels Kiwior was often caught in two minds whenever Bayern Munich fed Sane the ball. It was Kiwior’s 12th game as a left-back during 2024 alone.
“Jakub Kiwior was getting cooked by Leroy Sane, let’s have that right,” Wright stated on his Wrighty’s House podcast. “He was scared of him.
“I was a little bit disappointed with Kiwior. He was stuck between, ‘Do I go all the way in’ or, ‘Do I drop off of him’. Act like you’re going to get tight then drop off.
“Let him get the touch, so then he’s either going to have to knock it past you and you’ve got half a chance of getting something on it or foul him!”
Read more about what Wright has had to say about Arsenal defender Kiwior, here.