Overview

• Rice described his role as that of a box-to-box No.8 with licence to drop deep and arrive in the box.
• He credited Mikel Arteta with adjusting his position this season to unlock a more dynamic game.
• The change has been enabled by new signing Martin Zubimendi, whose positioning lets Rice roam higher and wider.
• Thomas Tuchel is deploying him similarly for England, where Rice captained a 3-0 win over Wales alongside Elliot Anderson.
• Arsenal have started the 2025/26 Premier League season on top after seven matches, reflecting the midfield’s strong early impact.