Berbatov claims Vitinha, Bellingham and Rodri still better than Rice
Dimitar Berbatov does not think Declan Rice is the best midfielder in the world yet, naming three players he rates above the Arsenal man despite his superb start to the season.
Rice has been a man of the match performer in consecutive weeks, starring in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield before leading the Gunners to a 2-1 victory away at Slavia Prague in the Champions League. His form has seen him finish 15th in the Ballon d’Or rankings, with many now suggesting he belongs among the best central midfielders on the planet.
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Berbatov, speaking to beIN Sports, is not quite convinced. “He is good, but for me Vitinha, Jude Bellingham and Rodri still these type of midfield players are for me one of the best at the moment,” the former Manchester United striker said.
Workload concerns raised
While Berbatov stopped short of dismissing Rice’s quality, his comments suggest there is still a gap between the Arsenal midfielder and the trio he mentioned, each of whom has been central to major trophy wins in recent seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively.
Rice’s importance to Mikel Arteta’s side is not in dispute, but questions have been raised over his workload given the congested fixture schedule. Rice wore the captain’s armband against Slavia Prague, continuing a run of selections that has seen him play through a demanding stretch of matches.
Berbatov touched on this when discussing Arteta’s team selection. “I think he is very important for the Arsenal team. There are other midfielders who are top. For Arsenal he is very important and probably he should come off to rest a little bit because there are many games coming from now until December in this busy period. He brings a lot of energy to every game, you know what you get with Declan Rice and he is a real leader. He wins the ball back for the second goal, getting stuck in and he’s that type of player who will do that. I like the fact he’s always committed,” he said.
Rice's role remains central
Rice has established himself as one of Arteta’s most trusted lieutenants since his move from West Ham, and his performances this season, including his part in the second goal against Slavia Prague, highlight why the manager continues to rely on him so heavily.
Whether Rice features among the very best midfielders in the world remains a matter of debate, but his consistency and leadership have made him indispensable to Arsenal’s ambitions this season. With a demanding run of fixtures between now and December, how Arteta manages his minutes could prove just as important a storyline as the individual accolades.
