Steven Gerrard has voiced his disappointment that Liverpool missed out on securing Declan Rice's signature. The Arsenal midfielder has become instrumental under Mikel Arteta as the Gunners chase Premier League glory. Gerrard praised the England star and believed the Reds should have made a stronger push for the 26-year-old before Arsenal triumphed in the transfer battle with West Ham United.
The north Londoners secured Rice's services in 2023 following the Hammers' Conference League triumph, splashing over £100million to land their target. Liverpool were never seriously linked with a move for Rice, with Manchester United and Arsenal leading the pursuit that summer. Instead, Jurgen Klopp brought in Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister for a combined £100million from RB Leipzig and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively, as part of their midfield overhaul.
Gerrard has since heaped praise on the Arsenal star, insisting he possesses the ideal attributes for a central midfielder.
Speaking on the Smith Brothers podcast, the former Liverpool skipper revealed: "I love Declan Rice, I've been singing his praises for a long time. I coached Villa against West Ham before he went to Arsenal, I didn't realise how big he was because hadn't met him in person.
"You get in the tunnel and think, 'oh my god, that's some profile for a midfielder'. If you're building a midfielder, he's got a body to die for.
"If you're 6ft1in, 6ft2in, and have the legs, the power, that's the midfielder you want to be. He was calm in possession, an animal out of it, up and down, I really like him as a person as well.
"I think he's really getting into that class where he's becoming a world-class midfielder. He's maybe one we should've tried to grab from West Ham. I don't know whether we did but imagine him in this midfield now."
It's not the first time Gerrard has showered the midfielder with similar acclaim, suggesting Rice's switch to Arsenal has elevated his performances to new heights.
"In the Premier League, I think Declan Rice is a really, really good midfielder," he added.
"I like an awful lot about him. I like the kid, I like his mentality, I like the way he's gone to the next level at Arsenal, he's adding different things to his game. I think he'd be a really tough, strong opponent, a good challenge."
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Arne Slot remains under scrutiny at Anfield despite their 2-1 triumph over Wolves maintaining their winning streak of four consecutive victories.
The Reds currently occupy fourth spot in the Premier League standings and remain undefeated across seven fixtures in all competitions.
However, their chaotic period spanning September through November witnessed nine defeats, including a devastating sequence of four consecutive losses.
During a candid chat with TNT Sports, Gerrard threw his weight behind the Dutch manager and pledged his unwavering support to the Reds should they require it.
He declared: "I'll be brutally, brutally honest with you. I'd help Liverpool in any department at any minute of every day. I'd help them with anything.
"I don't want Arne Slot to lose his job. I want him to fix this and turn it around and make Liverpool great. I was bouncing all over the city four or five months ago when Liverpool won the league."
Gerrard's devotion to his boyhood club shone through as he added: "I'm a Liverpool fan. I want the best for Liverpool. But if Liverpool need me in any department at any time, I'll be there for them."