Mikel Arteta expects Declan Rice's return to the London Stadium to be a 'beautiful moment' - as the former Hammers skipper prepares to take on his old side for the first time since his £105m summer move

Declan Rice's return to West Ham connected Wednesday will beryllium a ‘beautiful moment’ according to Arsenal head Mikel Arteta.

The 24-year-old moved crossed London for a club-record £105million successful nan summer. Rice, who had been astatine the Hammers since nan property of 14, captained nan nine to their first awesome trophy for 43 years successful June successful nan Europa Conference League final, nan past of his 245 games there. 

Ahead of Wednesday's last-16 Carabao Cup tie, Arteta said: ‘He’s fresh and tin beryllium involved. It will beryllium his first clip backmost astatine his aged nine and a beautiful infinitesimal for him.

‘Every clip you perceive him talk astir West Ham and what they did for him, he cannot talk immoderate higher truthful hopefully it will beryllium nan aforesaid measurement towards him.’

Rice has made a awesome commencement to life successful northbound London and has started each 10 of nan Gunners' Premier League outings this term. 

The England world has besides popped up pinch 2 goals astatine important moments for Arteta's title chasers. First, against Manchester United successful a tight conflict past month. 

Before grabbing nan extremity that sparked an Arsenal revival successful a 2-2 tie astatine Stamford Bridge against a resurgent Chelsea side. 

Ahead of nan clash, his erstwhile head David Moyes implored Hammers fans to invited their ex-skipper pinch 'open arms'.

'You've sewage to retrieve this is nan man who lifted this club's first European trophy successful much than 50 years,' He said.

'He should beryllium welcomed backmost pinch unfastened arms. We're each looking guardant to seeing him again.

'He was a superb personnel of nan team. He led nan squad brilliantly well. He conducted himself impeccably arsenic a West Ham skipper and arsenic a player.

The astir important point was that he gave 100 per cent successful each game, moreover though we benignant of knew he astir apt wasn't going to enactment astatine West Ham. So each in installments to him. He conducted himself brilliantly good and for that unsocial he deserves to beryllium cheered.'