Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd key target is ‘better than Partey and Casemiro,’ claims Kieran Trippier

Newcastle United right-back Kieran Trippier has claimed that West Ham captain Declan Rice is a better midfielder than Arsenal’s Thomas Partey and Manchester United’s Casemiro. 

Both Partey and Casemiro have been excellent this season, helping their teams to first and third place in the Premier League table respectively.

Arsenal, along with United and Chelsea have made Rice a key target for next season, so they could make a quality addition if they can get a deal over the line, according to Trippier.

Indeed, as reported on Wednesday, Mikel Arteta is playing a vital role in negotiations after making Rice his number one target next summer.

It has also been claimed that Bukayo Saka’s friendship with the West Ham man could help convince him to head to the Emirates next season, so they seem to be the frontrunners at the moment.

Trippier, who has spent time playing with Rice for England, has suggested that Rice is the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with FIVE Podcast, he said: “Declan’s unbelievable.”

“I don’t know if you watched the game the other day when we [Newcastle] played West Ham, just his intelligence, the way he breaks up play, how he travels with it, powerful, unbelievable. Probably one of the best in the world in what he does.”

Trippier compares £120m Rice to Michael Carrick

Trippier was then asked if he thinks Rice is better than both Partey and Casemiro, to which he responded: “Yeah. As defenders like me you appreciate the likes of Michael Carrick or Declan, it makes your job easier, they’re just mopping everything up.

“Don’t get me wrong, Casemiro, the trophies he’s won – the Champions Leagues – of course, he’s a world-class player, but if you’re talking right now, Dec is incredible, he’s got the age as well.”

Indeed, it is believed that it will require a huge price for any club to prise Rice away from the London Stadium next summer, with an estimated valuation of £120m.

The 24-year-old is certainly a huge player for West Ham, but he has made no secret about his desire to play at a higher level.

In a press conference during the World Cup, Rice said: “100 per cent I want to play in the Champions League.”

“For the last two or three years I’ve been saying that. I’ve been playing consistently well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing.

“I see my friends here who are playing Champions League and for big trophies. You only get one career and at the end you want to look back at what you’ve won and the biggest games you’ve played in.”

Along with Arsenal and Chelsea, Manchester United have also previously made a £100m bid for Rice, before they signed Casemiro, so it seems that Ten Hag could go back in for him.

For now, though, he is still a Hammers player and will need to focus on the task at hand – getting them out of a relegation battle.

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