Arsenal's Declan Rice during warm-up
Arsenal's Declan Rice during warm-up
Graeme Souness has doubled down on his criticism of Declan Rice, naming four teams he is not good enough to play for.
Rice, 27, left West Ham United for Arsenal back in the summer of 2023, in a deal worth a reported fee of £105 million.
Since then, the Englishman has developed into one of the best players in world football, playing an integral part in Mikel Arteta’s team as they became Premier League champions during the 2025-26 campaign.
However, despite his impressive performances, ex-Liverpool and Scotland man Souness branded Rice as a ‘limited’ player during England’s 2026 World Cup run.
Graeme Souness: Declan Rice Not a Midfield Player
Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after winning the FA Community Shield
Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates after winning the FA Community Shield
Speaking recently on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored Show, Souness doubled down on his criticism of Rice, claiming the 27-year-old is more of a defender than a midfielder.
The 73-year-old then named the four teams that Rice is not good enough to play for.
Souness explained: “How many times do you see him as the last man with the ball? In the build-up, he’s last man. He’s sitting between two centre-halves or between the centre-half and the full-back. He’s last man.
“A lot of the time, he doesn’t play in midfield. In my second or third home game (of my career), I went into the back four like all midfield players do today. It’s old man’s football. It’s cheating. An old man’s way of playing midfield. You get the ball under no pressure, and you play it out to the full-back.”
Despite criticising the Arsenal man, Souness did label Rice as the best defensive midfielder in the country.
He added: “He’s the best defensive midfielder in the country right now, he smells danger. But then again, he’s back there all the time. He’s not a midfield player then is he? I think he may be a centre-half.
“The ball travels faster than you do. I see him run with the ball 30 yards and pass it square. He’s a lovely kicker of the ball and opens his body up well, there’s nothing to dislike about him. But modern players are a bit precious.”
Since joining the Gunners, Rice has scored 21 goals in 162 appearances across all competitions.
The 27-year-old has also been named in the PFA Team of the Year on three occasions, as well as winning Arsenal’s Player of the Season twice.