Quite who Arsenal’s best player is at this current moment is open for debate but if they don’t win the Premier League title, one of the names likely to be mentioned, Declan Rice, could be on his way.
Arsenal’s title hopes were given a huge boost this weekend when Chelsea scored late at Man City to hand the Gunners a six point advantage heading into the Liverpool fixture.
Arsenal’s victory at Bournemouth now looks even more crucial and once again, it is the points that matter.
Of course, key to the Gunners winning out over the Cherries was the performance and influence of midfielder, Declan Rice.
Fill the blanks: The year is 2030 and Declan Rice is now worth £____.
Rice bagged two goals and looked at his brilliant best in the midfield as he once again showed just how important he is to Mikel Arteta.
However, with the pressure now on to win the title, Arteta and those higher up will be well aware that should they fail again, then Rice might well end up on his way.
Why Declan Rice could be in demand in 2026
Back when Arsenal paid around £100m to sign Declan Rice, it seemed that they might well have overpaid.
However, the England man has shown time and time again that he is the real deal and this season in particular, Rice has added further elements to his game.
No player – apart from Bukayo Saka and Rayan Cherki – has been involved in as many goals as Rice in the Premier League this season.
Rice’s four PL goals have already equalled last season’s tally, while his overall play is arguably more important than that of Martin Odegaard.
However, with Rice’s form will come interest from afar. Real Madrid are among those who already admire him, while big clubs like Barcelona and Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich are never far away.
Crucially, this is also a World Cup year and after Rice was so impressive both in Qatar in 2022 and in Germany in 2024, another big tournament will only elevate him further.
Put simply, Arsenal now need to match the success Rice wants. Of course, he won’t be forcing his way out and is very much a team first player. But top players want titles and medals and if Arsenal fail this season, you do feel like they might never do it under Mikel Arteta.
Is Declan Rice the Premier League’s best midfielder?
There are some fantastic midfield players in the Premier League right now but Rice can have a strong argument to say he’s the best around.
Having moved from a defensive midfielder and sometimes even a centre-back to a midfielder who can do it all, Rice is now showcasing all the attributes the very best do.
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Goals, assists and being involved in others’ goals are now commonplace for Rice, while he’s not lost the energy and drive that made him a success at West Ham.
Right now, it’s hard to argue against Rice being the best in the league and even with Man City getting Rodri back, Rice would probably back himself to get the better of the Spaniard.
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