Declan Rice has dismissed Arsenal's concerns over his workload, insisting his body can handle another 60-plus appearance season despite having played through pain at the World Cup. The 27-year-old midfielder admitted he had received pain-killing injections to manage neural back and hamstring problems, prompting the club to monitor him closely after he was given only three weeks off before returning to pre-season training.

Rice made 69 appearances for club and country last season and has started every Arsenal match since the Community Shield, even though the £75m signing of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle was partly intended to ease his burden. He pointed to six consecutive seasons of playing 60-plus games as evidence it is sustainable, while Arsenal are said to have offered him extra rest that he turned down. He is expected to join up with England for Nations League fixtures next month, and is also among three England players, alongside Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, nominated for this year's Ballon d'Or, which will be awarded in London on 26 October.