Declan Rice may want to have a word with Mikel Arteta after what happened vs AC Milan

Arsenal began their pre-season with a victory against AC Milan on Wednesday. While such matches are primarily for player fitness and rhythm, the game generated excitement as fans saw new signings and young players, including Ethan Nwaneri who impressed.

The significant takeaway from the match was Mikel Arteta's decision regarding the captaincy. With regular captain Martin Odegaard absent, Bukayo Saka was chosen to wear the armband. This selection appears to position Saka as the new vice-captain, filling a leadership void left by Jorginho's departure last season.

This decision potentially creates an awkward situation with Declan Rice. Rice has previously been tipped as a future Arsenal captain and has publicly stated his ambition to take on the role if Odegaard is unavailable. Although Rice is unlikely to cause problems, his strong leadership qualities and expressed desire for the captaincy mean Arteta's choice to give the armband to Saka could be seen as a snub. The article suggests Rice might need to discuss his standing within the team's leadership hierarchy with Arteta to understand his path to potentially becoming captain.