"The way the English media wax lyrical over him is over the top"- Ex-Premier League star believes Arsenal star is 'very overrated'

Wrexham winger James McClean has said that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice isn't world-class and his abilities have been 'overrated' by the English media. The Irish footballer stated that there are other players in midfield who play far better compared to Rice, who has gaps in his game.

McClean's remarks come amid the ongoing Euro 2024. England won their first game against Serbia albeit by a slim margin. A towering header by Jude Bellingham was the only difference between the two sides and the Englishmen looked pretty vulnerable throughout.

The 35-year-old, who played three of 104 international games for Ireland alongside Rice before the latter switched allegiances to England, stated that players like Manchester City's Rodri and Real Madrid's Toni Kroos are far better.

Here's what McClean said about the Arsenal star on RTE Sport:

"I think Declan Rice is overrated. 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. To me Toni Kroos is world-class, He dictates the game, Rodri dictates the game, I don't think Declan Rice does that. Someone who gets it on the half turn, plays passes forward. He's very good at what he does."

Rice has been a midfield linchpin for Arsenal ever since his reported £105 million transfer from West Ham United in 2023. However, the Gunners were still unable to bag their first Premier League title in over two decades.

On the flip side, Rodri guided Manchester City to their fourth consecutive Premier League title. Similarly, Toni Kroos, in his final season at the club, bagged the La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles.

When asked about the differences in the style of play of the aforementioned players, McClean said that Rice should match the pair as he plays in a similar position. He added:

"They play the same role so why can't they do the same things? If you're going to give him this much hype and reputation, surely he should be able to do what they do. He sees danger and he puts out fires, but for the hype that surrounds him I don't think it's justified."

England play Denmark on Thursday, June 20, in their second group-stage game of their Euro 2024 campaign.

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What were Rice's stats in his debut season at Arsenal?

The Gunners have been ruthless in their last couple of seasons. While they've fallen short of winning titles, they have looked exquisite on the pitch. Mikel Arteta's men were close to bagging the Premier League title last season but were bested by Manchester City.

In 51 appearances across competitions, the Englishman managed seven goals and 10 assists. With Thomas Partey's stint marred with injuries, Declan Rice tied things together for Arsenal in the centre of the pitch, playing 4,277 minutes in the 2023-24 season.