BBC SPORT
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes Declan Rice’s potential return to face West Ham in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup last-16 tie will be “beautiful”.
The 24-year-old England midfielder moved from the Hammers to the Gunners in a £105m summer transfer.
He captained West Ham to the Europa Conference League title in June, their first European trophy since 1965.
“It will be his first time back at his old club and a beautiful moment for him,” said Arteta.
“I had a chance to do it a few times and then you really see what they think of you and what you left at the club.
“Every time you hear him talk about West Ham and what they did for him and everybody at the club, he cannot talk any higher of them, so hopefully they will be the same way towards him.”
Rice joined West Ham at the age of 14 and made 245 appearances before his move to Arsenal.
The Gunners are second in the Premier League and Arteta made eight changes for the 1-0 win at Brentford in the previous round, although the Spaniard insisted the Carabao Cup is an important target for them.
“It’s a competition we have the chance to progress in and win a trophy and our mindset has to be focused on West Ham,” Arteta said.
“I live it exactly the same as the Premier League. I have the same thing in my tummy and the same way to prepare and want to win the game for sure.”
Striker Gabriel Jesus will not feature because of a hamstring injury, midfielder Thomas Partey is out with a muscle injury, while captain Martin Odegaard is again likely to be rested as he recovers from a hip complaint.
For West Ham, defender Vladimir Coufal and ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski are available after missing Thursday’s Europa League game at Olympiakos, with Coufal starting in the 1-0 home loss to Everton on Sunday.
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