Arteta: Declan Rice new Arsenal deal just 'a matter of time'

Arsenal fans have been given encouraging news on Declan Rice's future, with Mikel Arteta confirming that talks over a new long-term contract are well underway ahead of the trip to Liverpool.

The Evening Standard reports that Arteta believes it is only "a matter of time" until Rice puts pen to paper on a new deal, with the midfielder currently in the final two years of the contract he signed when he joined the club (Evening Standard). Football.London echoes this, describing the update as "huge" and noting Rice arrived for a club-record £105million fee back in the summer of 2023 (Football.London). TalkSPORT also confirms that Arteta has hinted a new contract is "imminent", adding that talks have already started (talkSPORT).

There's a shared sense of timing across the reports, too, with both the Evening Standard and Football.London pointing out that this update comes right before Arsenal's big clash with Liverpool (Evening Standard) (Football.London). For a player who has become such a key figure in Arteta's midfield since his record move, getting an update out before a game of this magnitude will be welcomed by supporters keen for stability at the heart of the team.

Where talkSPORT adds some extra colour is on the financial side, reporting that the new deal would make Rice Arsenal's joint best-paid player - though reportedly still earning less than Arteta himself (talkSPORT). That's a detail not mentioned by the other two outlets, but it underlines just how highly Rice is now valued at the club following his move from West Ham.

All three reports agree on the core facts: Rice is in the final two years of his existing contract, talks over an extension have progressed well, and Arteta is optimistic a new deal will be signed before long. For Arsenal fans, that's exactly the kind of reassurance they'll want heading into a crucial period of the season, with Rice having established himself as such an important part of the squad since that big-money switch in 2023.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.