"Great statement of intent from the club" - Pundit lauds Arsenal's transfer business as they close in on Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber agreement

Former Liverpool defender Steve Nicol has applauded Arsenal's transfer spree in the initial stages of the summer window.

The Gunners are close to completing the transfers of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice and Ajax fullback Jurrien Timber in the coming days. These are on top of the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea for a reported fee of around £65 million.

Arsenal had a great 2022-23 season in the Premier League which saw them challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title. Mikel Arteta's side ultimately finished second despite topping the table for 248 days.

Steve Nicol believes that the Gunners' signings ahead of the new season suggest that they are serious about challenging for the title yet again. The pundit, however, stated that signing these players is not the only thing that will propel Arsenal to the title next season.

Speaking to ESPN (via HITC), the former European Cup winner was quoted as saying the following:

“Signing Declan Rice, Havertz and Timber is a great statement of intent from the club to the fans that we like what we saw last year, but we want to get better."

He added:

“But it’s a whole world away from those three joining a team that’s actually been consistently fighting for the title for a period of time because it has only been one year. That’s the challenge.”

Arsenal are looking to strengthen their side further, having qualified for the UEFA Champions League after six years.

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Declan Rice is set to become Arsenal's most expensive signing in their history

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are set to sign Declan Rice for a fee worth £105 million, including add-ons. This will not only make the England international the most expensive signing in the Gunners' history but will also see him become the most expensive Englishman.

As things stand, Arsenal's record arrival is the signing of Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe from Lille for a fee of around £72 million back in 2019. He, however, was an underwhelming signing and spent last season out on loan at Nice.

Declan Rice, meanwhile, had a great 2022-23 season for West Ham as he captained them to the UEFA Europa Conference League title. This was their first major trophy since 1980.

Rice warrants the transfer fee of more than £100 million based on his form. The made 50 appearances for the Hammers last season and contributed five goals and four assists along the way. He was the captain in the majority of those 50 games.

Rice is an adequate defensive midfielder, something Mikel Arteta's side need going into the 2023-24 season. He averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, and 1.5 clearances per game last season in the Premier League.