“I think he’s a top player… ’’ Roy Keane sends clear message to Arsenal regarding £100m midfielder AFTV

As the Premier League title race sharpens and the spotlight intensifies, one voice from football’s most unforgiving elite has cut through the noise.

Roy Keane – a man who built his legacy on dominance, standards and silverware – has delivered a verdict that carries real weight: Declan Rice is now among the very best players in world football.

For Arsenal, chasing an ending that has eluded them for more than two decades, that endorsement feels symbolic. This is no longer a side built on potential or progress alone.

It is a team shaped around authority – and Rice has become its unmistakable centre of gravity as the pressure, expectations and stakes rise to their highest point.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has delivered one of the strongest endorsements yet of Declan Rice, describing the Arsenal midfielder as “one of the top players in the world” as the title race reaches a defining phase.

Declan Rice’s rise at the heart of Arsenal’s title push

Arsenal’s momentum this season has been built on control, consistency and authority in the biggest moments. With 17 Premier League games remaining, Mikel Arteta’s side have opened a six-point lead over defending champions Manchester City, placing themselves firmly on course to end a 22-year wait for the league title.

At the centre of that surge has been Rice, whose influence has extended far beyond the expectations attached to his £105m arrival from West Ham United in 2023. The England international arrived as Arsenal’s record signing and the joint-most expensive English player in history, yet the magnitude of that fee has quickly faded from the conversation. What remains is a midfielder who defines Arsenal’s structure with and without the ball.

Rice’s durability has been as striking as his quality. He has missed just one Premier League match all season and has become an ever-present in Arteta’s plans, providing balance behind Arsenal’s attacking flair while increasingly contributing in the final third. That evolution has coincided with Arsenal’s growing authority in high-stakes fixtures, even if dropped points against Liverpool prevented them from stretching their lead further.

Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool, Keane offered an analysis rooted in both admiration and experience, highlighting the qualities that separate elite midfielders from the merely excellent.

“He seems a pretty humble guy but he’s also got a bit of confidence about him – you need a little bit of an ego to play for a big club,” Keane said. “You look at his career, and he obviously did a brilliant job for West Ham and now at Arsenal he’s surrounded by better players.”

Crucially, Keane focused on Rice’s tactical development under Arteta. Once primarily viewed as a defensive anchor, Rice’s role has expanded significantly.

“His role has changed a bit, he’s getting forward a lot more. We always thought he had goals in him because his technique is that good and he’s a smart player,” Keane added.

That progression has been reflected in decisive moments, including a commanding performance and brace in Arsenal’s emphatic victory over Bournemouth. For Keane, the conclusion was clear.

“Is he one of the top players in the world now? I do think he is, given what he’s doing at Arsenal and of course with England as well. A lot of plaudits to Declan – I think he’s a top player and makes the players around him better as well.”

Arteta’s view: a midfielder still evolving

Keane’s praise echoed the sentiments of Mikel Arteta, who has consistently framed Rice not as a finished product but as a player still climbing.

Asked whether Rice belongs among the world’s best midfielders after that Bournemouth display, Arteta was emphatic. “Yes, for me, yes,” he said. “Declan is constantly adding things to his game. He’s constantly adding things to his role in the team.”

Arteta’s emphasis on growth is telling. Rice’s attacking output has increased, his positional intelligence has sharpened, and his leadership has become more pronounced as Arsenal navigate the pressures of a title race.

“I don’t see where he can stop because he can still improve in a lot of areas, and he wants to improve,” Arteta added. “He’s such a pivotal player for us.”

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Now into his third season in north London, Rice has amassed 131 appearances for Arsenal and remains central to their ambitions domestically and in Europe. Having come agonisingly close in consecutive campaigns, his determination to deliver silverware is clear.

Keane’s endorsement carries particular weight given his own pedigree as a midfield leader in title-winning sides. That Rice is now being discussed in such company reflects both his individual ascent and Arsenal’s broader evolution into genuine contenders.

With the decisive months ahead, Rice’s blend of consistency, adaptability and authority may yet prove the difference in turning promise into history.