I feel like this video summarizes my own personal feelings fairly well:

Imagine the refereeing decisions were going to get now. We’re going to be unstoppable.

    My serious take is that I think Partey and Rice are pretty stylistically similar. It's just that Partey has a really elegant gait whereas Rice has an awkward and try-hard-ish gait which makes people view them differently. I think people are probably going to be surprised at how little changes, other than the fact that our first-choice DM will hopefully no longer be made out of glass.

    Damn, hopefully our 105m investment will improve us more than slightly higher availability.

      QuincyAbeyie

      He's also much younger which is needed for squad planning. I also think he has a pretty low chance of being an outright flop, which is nice. Overall, I'm not crazy excited about this and I'm pretty baffled that this was priority number one but it clearly raises the floor of the team if not the ceiling.

          Age is the main known value of the signing, far more than any footballing upgrade. If Partey (all else aside) were 24 today, he'd be an £80m player.

          You can add to that the English premium, Rice's proven physical durability, the claim he's a born leader and maxes out on the "intangibles", and finally we have a strong, close to complete squad with years of potential at its core, and Rice is in theory a keystone player, which explains why we've trumped City.

          That and the transfer market's insane, and will continue to be.

          The most exciting part about this signing for me is that the refs will be on our side finally

            Rice brings more physicality than Partey. Not that Partey is particularly lacking in that front.

            Great signing. Welcome Declan

              Exciting times ahead. His attributes, the quality of the team he's slots into, the malleability of the midfield.

              Big Willie White English players never go wrong apparently. We are about to find out now we have so many English internationals in the team

                  lorddulaarsenal Not that Partey is particularly lacking in that front.

                  Yeah, Partey's foot speed feels like a revelation when he's fit and he needs to move, but you don't see much of it. He usually does the opposite of drive forward on the ball, on nearly all occasions he lingers and draws the press instead.

                  @KingslandBarge You are dead right about that "malleability", I think our midfield triangle was too fixed, and although Zinchenko helped, none of those three players were really capable of shifting roles or styles. Ødegaard does what he does too well, Xhaka was already moved forward because of the risks of playing him deeper, and Partey was absolutely maximised in that 6 role, when available.

                  Rice is a wild card by comparison. Arteta might have trouble figuring out how best to use him particularly if, say, an experiment with Havertz in Xhaka's old position is floundering … or … we might immediately gain more than one effective option.

                      Will be great for the vibe.

                      Just hope he doesn’t get the lads scoffing Skittles

                        3 payment, so 33m cost per year. Great

                        Clrnc rice gives us the complexion for the protection. maybe some of that shine will help protect saka too 😄

                        rice is going to be great for us, and I think he will show even more in a more progressive team

                          Glad it’s finally looking like it’s going to be done!

                          However, if we sell Partey (alongside Xhaka) this will take a massive shine off this signing.

                          Sell Xhaka, keep Partey and sign Rice and we’re cooking!