Declan Rice has laid down a “legacy” challenge to his Arsenal team-mates as the club’s class of 2025-26 look to deliver a Premier League first since the famous “Invincibles”.
The midfielder has made it clear that standards inside the squad are being driven by bigger goals than simply competing at the top end of the division, with Rice urging those around him to chase something that will be remembered.
Arsenal’s last league title came in 2003-04, when Arsene Wenger’s side went through the entire Premier League season unbeaten to earn their place in history as the “Invincibles”. No team has repeated that feat since, and Rice wants his current group to set its own benchmark.
That message has been shared within the dressing room as Arsenal prepare for the new campaign, with Rice challenging the squad to think in terms of what they can leave behind, rather than what they can take in the short term.
Arsenal are again expected to be among the main contenders at the top of the Premier League table in 2025-26, and Rice’s words underline the ambition around the club as they aim to turn strong performances into silverware.
The England international believes that creating a lasting legacy is the target, and he has called on his team-mates to match that mindset as Arsenal go in search of a league achievement not seen since the days of the “Invincibles”.
