Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has shared insights into the strong bond he has formed with Gabriel Magalhaes during his initial six months at the club.
Having made a record-breaking £105 million move from West Ham United in July, Rice quickly integrated into the Arsenal dressing room, naming Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus, and Aaron Ramsdale among his friends. However, he highlighted a special connection with Brazilian center-back Gabriel.
“I’ve formed a lot of really good relationships here,” Rice revealed to Arsenal.com. “There’s a lot of different cultures, and I’m really close with Gabriel Magalhaes – we get on so, so well. We’re both completely different personalities from completely different backgrounds, and we play football in a different way too, but we learn so much from each other, and we’ve formed a really good friendship.
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“I get on with everyone, I talk to everyone, and it’s great to have a good relationship with so many different people in the team. I look around, and I think these are the people that I want to win stuff with and have a long career with.”
Rice also disclosed that golf is his preferred hobby away from the football pitch. Despite a limited number of golf enthusiasts at Arsenal, he has played with teammate Aaron Ramsdale and even had the opportunity to play with Rory McIlroy in Dubai last week.
“We don’t have too many golfers here at Arsenal, but I’ve played a good amount with Rammers,” he explained. “I was able to play a little bit with Rory McIlroy last week in Dubai, and that was great fun.
“I think golf is one of the most mentally challenging sports out there. Tennis too because it’s just you, and you need to battle through your emotions, whereas in football, you’ve got your teammates around you to lift you up or help you out. In tennis or golf, the spotlight is entirely on you. No one else is there, and it’s one of the toughest things to do, which is why I really respect and admire them.”