Declan Rice promises red highlights if Arsenal retain the Premier League title

Declan Rice has pledged to dye his hair with red highlights if Arsenal win the Premier League title for a second successive season, after striking a light-hearted agreement with a young Gunners fan earlier this week.

The England midfielder was quizzed by the supporter about whether he would change his hair colour if Arsenal claimed the crown again. When Rice asked what colour the fan had in mind, the reply came back: “Red and white.” Rice offered a compromise — red highlights — and once the fan accepted, sealed the deal with a simple: “Yes. Buzzing.”

The exchange comes on the back of a strong start to Arsenal’s domestic campaign. Mikel Arteta’s side have won all three of their opening Premier League fixtures, beating Coventry City 3-0, Aston Villa 1-0, and Chelsea 2-1, conceding just once in the process. That form leaves them second in the table, level on points with Manchester City, who occupy top spot on goal difference.

Arsenal are the bookmakers’ favourites to win the league this season, a position built on the momentum of last term’s title — their first top-flight championship in 22 years — which they secured by seven points ahead of runners-up Manchester United, with Rice featuring in all but two of their league fixtures.

Attention now turns to Europe, with Arsenal travelling to face Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in their Champions League opener on Wednesday.

“I’m really excited,” Arteta said ahead of the trip. “We know what this competition means to all of us, the experience of last year as well, so we need to start with the first game in a really, really tough place, but really excited to start the campaign. Start well tomorrow — that’s the only thing we can do. Start by putting in a big performance tomorrow to increase the probability of winning the game.”