Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool missed out on a crucial signing in summer 2023 when Arsenal secured Declan Rice from West Ham, with the pundit calling it a transfer mistake
12:09, 28 Jan 2026
LONDON COLNEY, ENGLAND - JANUARY 27: Declan Rice of Arsenal during the Arsenal training session at Sobha Realty Training Centre on January 27, 2026 in London Colney, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Liverpool made a blunder not targeting Declan Rice(Image: David Price, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool need a midfielder with Declan Rice's attributes to inject more physical presence into the heart of their team. The Reds legend suggests the club's most crucial summer acquisition could arrive in the engine room.
Carragher maintains that Liverpool erred by failing to pursue Rice's services from West Ham during the summer of 2023. Arsenal secured his signature ahead of Chelsea after Mikel Arteta won over the England star.
Following Jordan Henderson and Fabinho's departures to the Saudi Pro League that summer, Champions League winner Carragher believes recruiting Rice would have addressed both losses with a single acquisition.
That transfer window witnessed Liverpool capture Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, whilst missing out on Moises Caicedo, who completed a record switch to Chelsea.
In Rice, the 48-year-old believes Anfield overlooked a player destined for player of the season accolades this campaign. Significantly, Carragher argues that an excessive number of Liverpool's midfield talents lack the requisite physical attributes.
Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio.
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Jamie Carragher wanted Declan Rice at Liverpool(Image: Sky Sports)
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"Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister are really good players, but it ends up with two or three players who do not have great physicality in there," Carragher told The Athletic. "The one who stands out every time I watch him play is Declan Rice.
"What a player, honest to god. That's exactly what Liverpool need. For me, he is the modern-day Roy Keane.
"I don't think he's a Stevie Gerrard, because Stevie was more attacking. Roy did a bit of everything; press high, get the ball off the back four, everything. Declan has the set pieces, too.
"I actually don't think we still give him enough praise. It always feels like there's a 'but' with him. His passing is fantastic. No one can run past him. His set-piece delivery is as good as anything in European football.
Declan Rice of Arsenal drinks from a bottle prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal at City Ground on January 17, 2026 in Nottingham, England
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Declan Rice appears to be feeling the pressure at Arsenal(Image: Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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"Why Liverpool didn't go for him..." he continued. "The summer he was available, was the summer we were going to get rid of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
"My argument at the time was you buy one player [in Rice] to replace two, because he could do both the Fabinho role and also the Henderson one, pressing high, as he shows for Arsenal. Oh god, I'd have loved to have got him in a Liverpool shirt.
"For me, he's Player of the Year this year, especially if Arsenal win the league. Then he will get the real love he deserves, and hopefully he will go and have a great World Cup [with England], too."