According to an article published by the London Evening Standard on Sunday, May 24, 2026, Bukayo Saka believes that Declan Rice’s arrival at Emirates Stadium in 2023 has had a profound impact on the way things are done at Arsenal. Rice has been instrumental this season in helping the club to win the Premier League title.
The midfielder has kept up many excellent performances all through the season, despite playing many games. Rice has established himself as one of the best players in Europe, and he has been the driving force behind Arsenal’s success this year under the tutelage of manager Mikel Arteta.
Saka has praised Rice’s influence on the side and has noted that the England international has grown into a key part of the Arsenal group. Asked about his teammate, Saka said Rice’s arrival from West Ham United altered the climate and culture at the club. Rice previously played for West Ham United.
Rice had a fantastic season but wasn’t voted into the Premier League’s Player of the Season award. Bruno Fernandes, on the other hand, was the man who got this award. There was a feeling among many supporters that Rice deserved recognition for his displays after putting in dominant performances throughout Arsenal’s campaign this season.
Saka, speaking in a recent interview with Men in Blazers, said Rice had made an impact on the organisation, saying he had “changed our world”. Rice has been central to restoring success to North London, and his comments demonstrate how highly Arsenal’s players rate him and what he has achieved.
A long-awaited league victory for Arsenal, who ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League trophy, was largely down to Saka and Rice, who played pivotal roles in winning. One could argue that Rice has emerged as the standout performer throughout the challenging season. He has always been a source of motivation for the squad at decisive moments.
And Rice has played the most outfield minutes of any Arsenal player this season with 3,099. His incredible consistency, leadership qualities and tireless work rate have helped him develop into one of the most influential midfielders in English football during this campaign.
Fans and analysts have been big fans of Rice’s performances this season. Many believed he should have won the top individual award in the league this year due to the giant contribution he made to Arsenal’s remarkable title-winning performance under Arteta.