Declan Rice is ‘future Arsenal captain’ and first name on team-sheet, but club legend is concerned with Martin Odegaard
Declan Rice has been tipped to become Arsenal's next captain by a Gunners club legend.
But whilst the fan favourite has been loving Rice, he's also pointed out current skipper Martin Odegaard's recent struggles following the 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Tuesday night.
Since signing from West Ham this summer for a deal worth £105million, Rice has quickly established himself as one of the Gunners key players, scoring twice and providing one assist in 13 games.
That assist came against Sevilla in the Champions League this week, with the midfielder feeding the ball to Gabriel Jesus, who went on to net a stunning, curled effort to secure the win.
Former Arsenal midfielder and Premier League and FA Cup winner Emmanuel Petit joined talkSPORT Breakfast the morning after the victory to sing Rice's praises.
But it turns out he's so impressed with the England international that he believes he can captain Arsenal, just like he did last season for West Ham.
«I'm a big fan, a huge, huge fan of Declan Rice,» he said. «I think since he stepped up into the team, he gave the impression that he's been there for ages.
»He's been like a leader and rolled into the team and off the pitch he's so important. For me, he can be the next captain of the Gunners with [Bukayo] Saka because he's from the academy.
«Declan Rice has so much quality as a person but as a player as well. For me he's no.1 into the team [sheet].»
Current Arsenal captain Odegaard also played in Spain on Tuesday night. The Norwegian netted a Champions League goal earlier in the season in the opening game against PSV, netting four in all competitions this season.
But despite joint-second highest scorer this campaign for Arsenal alongside Saka, Jesus and Leandro Trossard, Petit thinks
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