‘No’… TalkSPORT pundit says 24-year-old Arsenal player isn’t ‘world-class’ just yet

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Scott Minto believes Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice isn’t a ‘world-class’ player just yet.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Minto explained why he thinks the Arsenal star is ‘very close’ to becoming a world-class talent, but feels he isn’t quite there right now. 

Declan Rice has starred for Arsenal in the early stages of the campaign following his £105 million switch from West Ham over the summer. 

The 24-year-old has quickly become a key man under Mikel Arteta, particularly in the absence of Thomas Partey. 

Rice is undoubtedly one of the best holding midfielders in the Premier League on current form, with Rodri widely viewed as the benchmark.

Yet, Scott Minto believes Rice isn’t a ‘world-class’ midfielder yet.

Minto says Rice isn’t world-class’

Minto believes that Rice isn’t far off becoming one of the world’s best players in his position and labelled the Gunners man a ‘superb’ player.

“No, I think for his position he’s bordering on world-class,” the pundit said. “Very close. Very close.

“I think he was very close for West Ham. I think he was just a real team player and people saying ‘he needs to score more goals’. What more do you want?

“He protects the back four, he’s making these driving runs. He’s breaking up play. If he scores any more goals, he’d be worth £200 million.”

He added: “I think we will see him scoring more goals. I think he’s absolutely superb. I just don’t like necessarily saying ‘world-class, world-class, world-class’.”

Minto then explained that he believes you should only label a player ‘world-class’ if they make it into the world’s best XI.

In that regard, you could arguably put the likes of Rodri and Joshua Kimmich above Rice. But even that is up for debate.

How we define what a world-class player is is up for debate and many would place Rice into that category as he’s among the best in the world in his position.

Nevertheless, the Arsenal midfielder will only get better as he adjusts to Arteta’s style of play.

At 24, Rice hasn’t even reached his prime yet and his former coach at West Ham, Mark Warburton, has labelled his potential as ‘frightening’.