Declan Rice's Arsenal Evolution: Rounded Midfielder Needs More Selfishness to Boost Goals, Says Danny Murphy

BBC Sport · 2026-11-02
Declan Rice's Arsenal Evolution: Rounded Midfielder Needs More Selfishness to Boost Goals, Says Danny Murphy

Declan Rice has become a more complete midfielder at Arsenal, according to BBC Sport pundits Kelly Cates and Micah Richards. The England international, who joined the Gunners from West Ham for £105 million in 2023, has impressed with his all-round game, contributing defensively and driving forward from deep. However, former Liverpool and England midfielder Danny Murphy believes Rice could add more goals to his game if he adopted a more selfish approach in the final third. Murphy argues that Rice's unselfishness, while beneficial for the team, sometimes prevents him from taking shots or making late runs into the box, limiting his scoring output. With Arsenal challenging for the Premier League title, Rice's development could be pivotal. If he can add a few more goals to his repertoire, he might become the complete midfielder that Arsenal need to end their two-decade wait for league glory.