‘I’ll do a deal’: Declan Rice makes bizarre promise if Arsenal win back-to-back Premier League titles

Declan Rice has given Arsenal supporters another reason to want a second consecutive Premier League title.The midfielder has agreed to make a very noticeable change to his appearance if the Gunners retain their crown this season, after a young supporter put him on the spot with a simple question.And Rice did not quite agree to the full request, but he did make a deal.Rice promises red highlights if Arsenal win the titleRice was speaking to a group of young Arsenal supporters when one of them asked whether he would dye his hair whatever colour she chose if the club won the Premier League again.“Wow!” Rice replied before asking: “What colour are you thinking?”The answer was red and white.Rice appeared slightly less convinced by that idea, but eventually reached a compromise with the youngster.“I’ll do a deal with you, I’ll get red highlights in them,” he said.The child accepted the offer, with Rice adding, while laughing: “It’s a deal, I’m very excited.”So if Arsenal can successfully defend their Premier League title, Rice could be heading into the summer with a very different look.The promise has already gone down well with Arsenal fans, who were quick to spot a connection with one of the most recognisable hairstyles in the club's history.Rice could bring back a very Arsenal lookFew players are more closely associated with Arsenal's red-haired era than Freddie Ljungberg.The Swedish midfielder famously dyed his hair red during his time at the club, with the look becoming particularly memorable during Arsenal's 2001-02 Premier League and FA Cup double-winning campaign.It even inspired the chant: “We love you Freddie, because you've got red hair!”Ljungberg made 325 appearances for Arsenal before later returning to the club in coaching roles, and his appearance became part of his identity during one of the most successful periods in Arsenal's history.He later explained that the hair colour was not something he adopted simply to stand out at Highbury.“I don't dress like this and dye my hair to attract attention,” Ljungberg said.“I don't do it to make people look at me in the street or on the pitch. I do it for me. It's a personality statement. I've been dying my hair ever since I was a 14-year-old kid in Sweden. It's just something I do.”Rice's proposed red highlights would not quite recreate Ljungberg's famous look, but Arsenal fans would certainly recognise the reference.More importantly, there is now a fairly straightforward condition attached to them: win the Premier League and Rice gets the highlights.Arsenal have made a strong start to that particular challenge.After beating Manchester City in the Community Shield, they opened the 2026-27 league campaign with victories over Coventry City and Aston Villa. The club also strengthened during the summer with the arrivals of Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis.Rice played a major role in Arsenal's title triumph last season, which ended the club's long wait for another Premier League crown. He was also among the leading contenders for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, which ultimately went to Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes.Now Arsenal are trying to do something the club has not managed for generations: retain the league title.The last time they won consecutive championships was during the 1930s.If Mikel Arteta's side can finally do it again, Rice will have a very specific appointment waiting for him at the hairdresser.And somewhere, Arsenal fans will probably be hoping for a little bit more red than Rice originally had in mind.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.