'He sees things you'd never see' - Declan Rice hails 'best' Mikel Arteta after Arsenal boss commits to new long-term contract

The Arsenal manager recently put pen to paper on a fresh four-year deal that keeps him at the club until 2030. Having taken the reins in 2019, the Spaniard now stands as the longest-serving manager across England's top four divisions.

His tenure reached new heights last season when he successfully guided the Gunners to their first Premier League crown in 22 years. This monumental achievement cemented his status at the Emirates, prompting the board to secure his services for the foreseeable future.

Speaking to ESPN Brazil, Rice highlighted the intense demands his manager places on the squad. The 27-year-old midfielder emphasised that Arteta's relentless focus on the minutiae separates him from his peers.

"It's just tactically, training, managing, the detail he goes into, the things he sees that you would never see," Rice told Renato Senise. "He's constantly watching you when you don't think you're being watched. He's watching, constantly asking questions to try and catch you out, to see if you're listening. He's always keeping you on your toes, making sure that you're ready."

Rice added that this meticulous preparation ensures the team is never caught off guard, while expressing relief that the coach's future in north London is secure.

"Every time we go into games, tactically we know what we're doing. Defensively, with the ball, how we're going to beat the opposition. It's just the fine details, the way he breaks everything down, which makes him the best for me," Rice continued. "It's amazing that he [Arteta] signed a new contract and we get to have him as our manager for the next four years. So, we'll be very lucky."

While Rice has been an ever-present figure for Arsenal this term, he recently sat out international duty to manage a minor fitness issue. After discussions with England boss Thomas Tuchel, he opted to remain at London Colney to recover.

"It's probably the first time, maybe the second time that I've ever missed a camp since I made my debut for England so I was gutted to miss the camp, but after an honest conversation with Thomas [Tuchel] and the boss here, it was the best thing for me to do, to settle down some of the issues that I've had," Rice explained. "And now I feel good, I feel fresh, and going into this next set of games, I'm going to feel really good."

Fully rested, Rice is ready to help Arsenal defend their domestic crown, though he insists last year's triumph counts for nothing now.

"It [winning the league] was an amazing achievement, but this year's a brand new season: New team, new opposition, new players. So it throws up a different challenge," Rice noted. "So, yeah, OK, we are the champions, but we don't go on the pitch and think about last season. We're definitely playing with more confidence this season, you can feel that within the group, but it's about staying humble, and taking each game as it comes like we did last year and trying to win as many as possible."

Arsenal return to Premier League action this Saturday when they welcome Leeds United to the Emirates. Arteta's men are desperate to issue a strong response following a heavy 3-0 defeat to Brighton in their previous outing.

With Rice fit and available, the Gunners will aim to immediately get their title defence back on track. Navigating this upcoming fixture is vital to restoring momentum and proving their championship pedigree remains intact.