Jurgen Klopp, during spells at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, transformed Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels, Mario Gotze, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Mo Salah into household names.
And while Mikel Arteta has a smaller sample size behind him, the Arsenal boss is generating a similar reputation for himself at the Emirates Stadium.
Not only has Arteta solved the enigma that is Kai Havertz – the previously-maligned German either scoring or assisting in nine of Arsenal’s last 13 Premier League games – he has also carved a league-best backline out of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, helped Ben White evolve into an elite-level right-back, and squeezed every drop of potential out of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Declan Rice of Arsenal celebrates during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 28...
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Declan Rice has been transformative at Arsenal
Even Declan Rice, the £105 million signing from West Ham United, has reached an all-new level. Something that looked almost all-but inconceivable when Rice was dominating the centre of the park in claret-and-blue, the captain’s armband clasped around his bicep.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show, both Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher found themselves in agreement about a midfielder who has blossomed into one of the most complete footballers in Europe since making that short trip from the London Stadium to the Emirates, somehow managing to make a nine-figure transfer fee look justifiable with every colossal, by-the-scruff-of-the-neck performance.
“His passing is a lot better than he’s given credit for,” Carragher begins. “He can do a bit of everything. He’s box-to-box I think he’s a brilliant player.”
“I think he’s a sensational player,” Neville adds. “How he’s improved is unbelievable.”
Rice, bombing forward from that left-sided, box-to-box role, has added goals to his game under Arteta. A tally of seven in the Premier League is nearly twice as many as his previous best, Rice showing his beloved West Ham how far he’s come in this regard as he whipped a sublime 25-yarder into the Hammers’ net during Arsenal’s thumping 6-0 win back in February.
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“If I had to describe him with a picture it would be a lighthouse. This is how I see him,” Arteta tells TNT Sports of his number 41, Rice standing tall and guiding his Arsenal team-mates towards the shore.
“When I was envisioning the squad, how can I explain him? How can I see him in the team? His pressing, he’s overlooking everything, he’s bringing light and clarity and guidance for everybody.
“That’s his biggest quality. He is a leader, he’s still very young and a lot to you, but he’s got the right foundations to become an incredible player for us.”
Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday – Leandro Trossard scoring the only goal of the game – means The Gunners can end their two-decade wait for Premier League glory on Sunday, providing arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur do them a favour against Manchester City tonight.
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