Declan Rice has admitted it’s a shame he never got to play under Arsene Wenger, but the manager’s legacy at Arsenal remains evident.

Declan Rice joined Arsenal over the summer to play under Mikel Arteta, and things seem to be going well for the midfielder so far.

There seems little doubt that Rice is happy to be managed by the Spanish head coach, but he admits he would’ve liked to have spent time working with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as well.

“He’s spoken about all the time,” Rice said. “I think if you look at managers of other clubs in the past that had left, they definitely don’t have that same legacy or the same way they’re spoken about.

“But with Arsene, every player you speak to, he’s like a god to them.

“It was a real honour to meet him, shame I couldn’t play under him!”

Rice isn’t the only person to make similar comments about Wenger in the last week. Over the weekend, Arteta himself also had praise for his former manager.

“You know how much I love him, how much he means [to] me,” Arteta said.

“I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for him because he brought me to the club and always trusted me. It’s a joy, a privilege to have him around.

“You still sense a lot about him here (at the Emirates Stadium), every time you’re here.”

It’s been good to see Wenger getting a little more involved with his old club, with the recent installation of his statue, his return to the stands after a few years away, and his punditry on Gunners games.

As Arteta points out, you can still feel Wenger’s legacy in Arsenal’s emphasis on a young and developing side, playing with plenty of possession, in the stadium built during Wenger’s tenure.

Based on Rice’s comments, the players still clearly feel that too.