mungmee168 Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta sees the value of Declan Rice as a versatile midfielder rather than just a ball-handling No.6 or No.8 running up and down the sidelines, with the Englishman’s skills adapting to the job more effectively. mungmee168

The Gunners snapped up Rice from West Ham for a reported £105m and have made him an instant regular, with his role as a right-footed set-piece taker becoming even more important this season.  ( mungmee168 ) 

However, it has been noted that the 25-year-old has been used in a variety of roles by Arteta, including as a #8, #6 or sometimes as a second centre-back, leading to concerns that the player could be confused. 

However, the Spanish coach believes that Rice has a high sense of the ball, so he can play well anywhere and is guaranteed not to lose his composure. 

“With the squad we have now, with the quality he has, he needs to be versatile,” he said at the pre-Ipswich press conference (Dec 27).