Declan Rice ‘nowhere near’ Rodri in world-class debate | OneFootball

Declan Rice still has a way to go before he can match Rodri’s level as a central midfielder, according to football pundit Dietmar Hamann.

The England international was one of Arsenal‘s key players last season as they ran Manchester City a close second in the Premier League title race.

The 25-year-old has been hailed as one of the best operators in his position, particularly since completing his £100m to the Gunner from West Ham United last summer.

However, Hamann believes that Rice lacks the necessary discipline to be considered one of the great midfielders of his generation, citing his penchant for roaming forward in games at club level. But the German thinks Euro 2024 is the perfect platform for him to prove he deserves comparisons with Rodri.

“I think this is the tournament we find out how good Declan Rice really is,” the former Man City and Liverpool midfielder told RTE ahead of England’s win over Serbia on Sunday.

“People tell me he’s one of the best central midfielders, holding midfielders in world football. I don’t think he’s anywhere near Rodri, who plays for Manchester City, Spain. I don’t think he’s anywhere near.

“In this formation, with (Trent) Alexander-Arnold next to him, he has got to show a discipline he is lacking far too often. I think with Arsenal sometimes – I know he has Jorginho next to him – he likes to do more than he should do.

“His role now is to hoover things up, anticipate, win balls, and give it to the five or six guys going forward. If he does it I think he could be one of the best players; I don’t think he does it well enough for Arsenal.

“This is the tournament where we really find out, with all this attacking talent around him, how good he really is.”

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