Mikel Arteta's sales pitch was clear: he wanted a faster car and he wanted Declan Rice behind the wheel.
The question Rice has been pondering before he takes his next career step has been: Where do I fit in?
When Bayern Munich made an approach for the West Ham captain earlier this month, the response was polite but firm that Rice, though flattered, would prefer a move to Arsenal.
It wasn’t just about staying in London, the Germans said. Rice had been convinced by Arsenal’s determined boss Mikel Arteta.