Every major signing longs for their first big moment at their new club. For Declan Rice, that moment came in the 96th minute of his fifth game for Arsenal. In one move spanning three glorious seconds, Rice controlled the ball on his chest, smashed his finish into the Manchester United net and fully announced himself as an Arsenal player.
It was the first goal, the first match-winning intervention and the first sign, at least for Arsenal supporters, that the club had found a player who would be a real game-changer for Mikel Arteta's side. At the final whistle of that September victory, "Ice, Ice Baby" - Rice's initiation song at Arsenal - came from the loudspeaker.
The moment meant a lot to Arsenal's supporters, who danced through the streets of north London afterwards, and it was also of great significance to Rice. So much so that a framed photo of his celebration against United now hangs on the wall of his box at the Emirates Stadium.
Rice wasn't signed to score last-minute winners. After all, he is primarily a defensive midfielder. That's the 24-year-old's huge personality, but he's already done it twice this season. First against United, and then in the 97th minute of Arsenal's 4-3 win over Luton Town earlier this month.
At Luton there was no prospect of Rice's song being played over the stadium loudspeakers. Instead, the Arsenal players sang it among themselves in the away dressing room. It is understood their celebrations were so raucous that they provoked irritated grumbling from some members of Luton's backroom staff.
Later that evening, during his post-match press conference, Arteta made a prediction. Asked whether he ever expected Rice to produce two stoppage-time winners in his first season, the Arsenal manager smiled. "Three," he said. "There's one more to go. It will happen. I don't know when, but it will happen."
Maybe it will be against Liverpool this weekend. It's hard to think of a better place for it - Arsenal haven't won at Anfield in the league since 2012 - and you certainly wouldn't put it further than the irrepressible Rice, who has somehow managed to exceed the enormous expectations to surpass those that came with his £105 million. transfer from West Ham United.
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At the time of his arrival, Arsenal and their supporters were hoping to see a player with presence and class. A man who could add something to their midfield and eventually represent the new heartbeat of the team. After just a few months, they've seen all that - and more. With his strength, character, knowledge of the game and taste for match-defining moments, Rice has adapted faster and more effectively than anyone could have imagined.
Such is his impact that a group of Arsenal supporters recently set up a crowdfunding page to raise a further £25 million for West Ham. It was done in jest, of course, but it underlined a serious point: not a single person of Arsenal persuasion, inside or outside the club, believes he overpaid for Rice's services.
Rice wasted little time in learning Arteta's way
How did Rice adapt so quickly to his new club and a completely new playing style? A lot of that comes down to his enthusiasm and willingness to improve. Despite his transfer fee, Rice did not walk through the doors of the Emirates believing he is the finished product. He knew he had so much more to learn, especially about Arteta's system, and he got to work straight away.
During Arsenal's pre-season tour of the United States, Rice came to understand the different tactical demands of playing for Arteta. It was different to West Ham, and it wasn't easy. For example, after a friendly defeat to United in New Jersey, he discussed video clips with one of Arteta's coaches. It was pointed out to him that his incorrect positioning in midfield had prevented the team from establishing a playing pattern.
Throughout the preseason, Rice asked for more of those meetings. He wanted to learn it all, and he wanted to do it quickly. In his mind there was no time to waste and at the start of the Premier League campaign he felt his understanding growing. "Everything is starting to click," he said in August.
Arteta: Rice can 'enlighten the others'
Off the field, Rice has endeared himself to his new colleagues with his openness and outgoing nature. He is not part of any particular clique within the squad, but flutters between them all, and is just as likely to have lunch with the kitmen and physios as he is with other first-team stars. Sources describe a player who has worked hard to get to know every part of the club and everyone in it, just as he did at West Ham. "I see him as a lighthouse," Arteta said in the summer. "He'll light the others."
It helped Rice that two Arsenal chefs have also joined from West Ham in recent years, and that he knew the likes of Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah before he arrived. Rice has never been a shy person, but in times like these, familiar faces are always welcome. He has since admitted to being nervous on his first day, when Arteta placed a sticker on his chest. "Hi, I'm the new person," it said.
Staying in London will also undoubtedly have made the adjustment process easier. Rice remains close to his old friends at West Ham - especially Mark Noble, the former captain and current sporting director, who has attended a number of Arsenal matches this season.
The Rice family is remarkably close. Rice has no agent, choosing instead to be guided and guided by his brothers and parents, and his family never seems far away. For example, when he ran out of moisturizer during a tour in Los Angeles this summer, his mother brought some more to the team hotel.
As a person, Rice seems like the most normal of the 24-year-old guys. The Arsenal fans can feel that too. As a player, however, he is far from normal - and nowhere near the height of his powers. He turns 25 next month, and his contract at the Emirates runs until the summer of 2028. For Arsenal, the most exciting thought of all is that he is only just getting started.
