Arsenal have top-three player in world on par with Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane, claims Carlton Cole

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Carlton Cole has claimed that one Arsenal star is among the top three players in the world, alongside Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane.

Mikel Arteta has drawn criticism as the Gunners failed to beat a title rival once again this season following the 1-1 draw against Manchester City.

Erling Haaland opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes, and the visitors held onto the lead until Gabriel Martinelli rescued a share of the spoils with his 93rd-minute equaliser.

Indeed, Sunday’s result marked another crucial clash in which Arteta failed to get his side over the line, with Viktor Gyokeres producing another underwhelming display against top-level opposition.

However, the Gunners boss has been told that he currently boasts one of the best players in world football despite the disappointing result.

Declan Rice is one of the best players in the world

When speaking to ESPN, West Ham legend Cole named star midfielder Declan Rice as one of the best players in the world at the moment.

“Lamine Yamal. I’m going to say Declan Rice, it’s my guy. I’ve got to go, Harry Kane.”

The 26-year-old has had a transformative impact at Arsenal since completing his £100 million move from West Ham to North London in 2023.

Rice was named in the PFA Team of the Season for the 2024/25 campaign as his four goals and seven assists in the Premier League kept the Gunners competitive in the title race last season.

He also scored two memorable free-kick goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League, which helped Arsenal knock out the holders and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2009.

The England international has maintained his high performance levels heading into this year. Rice was dominant against Leeds United during the 5-0 win at the Emirates and played a pivotal role in keeping the Man City attack at bay on Sunday.

Rice will be among the 30 nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or for Monday’s ceremony in Paris and while he stands a slim chance of joining Rodri in the record books, his performances have placed him among the best in football.

How did Declan Rice fare against Manchester City?

Although Haaland’s goal killed all of Arsenal’s momentum in the early stages of the clash, Rice produced another standout display at the Emirates.

While the Gunners were chasing an equaliser for the majority of the match, Rice proved a threat from all areas of the pitch, whether it be setting up counterattacks or delivering dangerous crosses from corners.

His 97% pass completion rate was the best among all players who played 45 minutes or more on Sunday; Rice was the main orchestrator in the Arsenal midfield.

The game plan for Arteta moving forward must be to get Rice on the ball as much as possible. He may naturally be a defensive midfielder, but his production in the business end of the pitch has come on leaps and bounds during his tenure with the Gunners.