Mikel Arteta issues transfer update to Arsenal fans after Declan Rice signing

Mikel Arteta is refusing to rule out more Arsenal signings this summer.

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The Gunners completed their £105 million deal for Declan Rice over the weekend, which has taken their summer spend to over £200m following the arrivals of Kai Havertz from Chelsea and Jurrien Timber from Ajax.

Arsenal are among the clubs who have expressed an interest in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, while they have been also linked with Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo.

When asked if Arsenal fans can expect more signings this summer, Arteta told Sky Sports: ‘Let’s see.

‘There’s a lot of time still in the market and a lot of expectations in some of our players as well.

‘We’ll have to see and how things develop in the next couple of weeks.

‘We’ll be alert. There’s still time to do things and there’s still time for exits obviously. I’m sure things will move.’

During his press conference in Washington on Monday, Arteta also explained the qualities Rice will being to his Arsenal side.

‘It’s his leadership, his aura, the experience he already has in the league he is going to bring and the team to a different dimension I think,’ Arteta said.

‘He has the physical qualities we were missing for a while as well. That is why we had to do what we had to do to get him because he was really important for us to get him.

‘First of all he is a person and what he is going to bring to the team.

‘I see him like a lighthouse, that he is willing to put light in others and improve others and make the team better and that is a huge quality.

‘For me, to be a midfielder you have to have that and he’s got it 100 per cent and the way he talks and presents himself and the ambition he has and the passion towards the game and that is exactly what we needed.’

When asked when Arsenal decided to make a move for Rice, Arteta said: ‘It was was while ago.

‘We were discussing how he could evolve the team and how he could compliment the players that we already have and give us more flexibility and quality and depth, and take that winning hunger into the team with players who really want to push themselves to a different level.

‘We have three new players who will be really important in that.’

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