Declan Rice says ‘special’ £12m Arsenal player is one of best he’s ever played with

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Ahead of England’s Euro 2024 final with Spain on Sunday evening, Declan Rice has now claimed that one of his Arsenal teammate’s is in the top five players he’s ever played with. 

Mikel Arteta will watch three of his Arsenal players compete in the final, even if only two of those three are expected to play minutes.

It would be a huge surprise if David Raya was suddenly switched in for Unai Simon for Spain – who has the trust of his manager Luis de la Fuente.

Speaking of trust, there’s arguably not a more important duo to Gareth Southgate than Rice and Bukayo Saka right now, who have shone in Germany.

Saka seems poised for another starting role at right wing-back on Sunday evening, an ad hoc position he’s been able to make his own.

Rice will be deployed in a more familiar midfield position, playing alongside the exciting Kobbie Mainoo in a two.

That being said, when speaking before Sunday’s final, Rice has been praising one of his Arsenal teammates, Jorginho.

Declan Rice says he ‘always backed’ Jorginho to show his quality at Arsenal

Rice was speaking at his England press conference before the meeting with Spain and was asked about losing the Euro 2020 final to Italy.

The Arsenal midfielder was then questioned specifically about Jorginho’s influence in that game, who was credited with a match-winning performance.

Rice lauded Jorginho’s display, who Arsenal signed for £12m last January, and claimed he was one of the top five players he’s ever shared a pitch with.

He said: “First of all, I’ve obviously played with Jorginho this year for the first time and I always backed him and knew he was a top player – there was a lot of question marks about his ability and what he was like as a player.

“But I can tell you now, I would probably put him in the top five players I’ve played with.

“And I’m not just saying that because you’ve just asked me about him, in terms of his football intelligence and IQ, it’s really, really up there and how he controls a football match is quite special and we’re really lucky to have him at Arsenal.

Mikel Merino can be Arsenal’s new Granit Xhaka

Of course, it will be interesting to see if Jorginho and Rice will have a new midfielder to play alongside at Arsenal next season.

Thomas Partey has been linked with an Arsenal exit, but the longer the summer goes on, the more likely it seems that he will stay.

And perhaps Arsenal being well-stocked in the number six area will lead them to the signing of Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino.

Arteta loves Merino’s physicality, a number eight who has been excellent for Spain at the Euros.

Merino could be Arsenal’s new Granit Xhaka – a rare left-footed talent who can emulate what the Swiss international offered Arsenal during his last season in England.