Declan Rice
Declan Rice reminds Yaya Toure of himself, but the former Manchester City midfielder has challenged the Arsenal man to start winning trophies this season if he wants to be considered better than Rodri. Rice , 25, has won just the Europa Conference League at West Ham United and the Community Shield with the Gunners last year during his career. In comparison, Rodri has won 11 honours in five years at City, and Toure hoisted seven pieces of silverware while in Manchester. Both have also won on the international stage, with the Spanish international winning this summer’s European Championship at the expense of England . Nine years earlier, his predecessor in City’s midfield triumphed with Ivory Coast at the Africa Cup of Nations . Winning is what Rice must do to surpass Rodri as the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League , according to Toure.
Yaya Toure said “[Rice] needs to be in a winning team because the team that wins the league has the best players. He’s competing with Rodri. You can’t underestimate Rodri for what he’s done and what he’s achieved with Man City and now with Spain. He’s a good player; he’s a competitor. Those two are there, but Rodri has been winning more trophies than Declan. This year, Declan has to change that. Winning trophies makes the difference. When you look at the details of Declan’s game in terms of winning the ball, running with the ball, going forward and dribbling, even assists. Declan is looking like what I was doing before, trying to assist and dribble. Expanding on that, Toure added: [He] reminds me of myself because I think he has the capacity, the ability, the physical ability as well. To do it week in, week out is difficult and very demanding, but he can do it. Today’s game is very demanding. When you see the schedule of the players from international to the leagues, it’s too many games, but I think he can do it.”
