Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice is a very good footballer but is also very overrated , according to former Ireland winger James McClean.
The Gunners signed Rice from London rivals West Ham United for over £100million last July.
He made an immediate impact at the Emirates, helping them finish second in the Premier League, narrowly behind champions Manchester City.
were brilliant in 2022/23 but they went to a different level with Rice in the midfield, becoming the best defensive side in the country.
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Rice is also a vitally important player for England and one of the first names on the teamsheet.
He starts as a No. 6 in Gareth Southgate s system, allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jude Bellingham to express themselves in the Three Lions midfield.
While there is an abundance of talent in Southgate s squad, there is no doubting Rice s importance in the middle of the park.
Declan Rice is very overrated and not world class
There are not many people who doubt Rice s ability but former Premier League attacker McClean is not convinced he is a world class player.
McClean clearly rates the 25-year-old but he does not understand the hype in the English media, claiming it is completely over the top .
I feel Declan Rice is very overrated, he said.
Don t get me wrong, I think he’s a very good footballer, but the way the English media wax lyrical about him is completely over the top.
For me, he’s not world class. To me world class is someone who gets in every side in the world. I don’t think he does that.
I don t think he gets in the Man City side ahead of Rodri. I know Toni Kross is now retiring, but to me Toni Kroos is world class. He dictates the game, Rodri dictates the game, I don t think Declan Rice does that.
He s not someone who is going get on the half-turn and play passes forward. He is very good at what he does.
