Former Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham says he doesn’t “want to see” Declan Rice sign for Arsenal as he would “make them a better team.”
Arsenal leads the Premier League table by eight points ahead of the second-place current champions Manchester City.
The Gunners midfield, Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, and Martin Odegaard have been the main force behind their title charge this season.
But Mikel Arteta is apparently looking to strengthen his midfield this summer, with Declan Rice emerging as Arsenal’s top target.
After turning down three contract extensions at West Ham, the midfielder appears to be on his way out.
The West Ham midfielder added to his growing reputation following England’s historic win over Italy last night in Naples.
Gareth Southgate’s side began their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a 2-1 win that highlighted the greatest aspects of Rice’s all-action midfield style.
Rice opened the scoring with an opportunistic strike from a corner and fought hard in the second half as England held on to a 2-1 advantage.
While now former Manchester United attacker Sheringham believes the Emirates might be his next destination, he believes he would improve the Gunners.
However, he also accepts that Rice should not make a switch to the league leaders.
Teddy Sheringham does not want Rice at Arsenal
Sheringham told talkSPORT ahead of England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy: “You put him up against other top players and the complete midfield player would be able to defend, tackle, run forward but score goals as well.”
“If you add a couple of goals to Declan’s game, maybe not a couple, if you add six or seven goals to Declan Rice’s game with what he’s got at the moment all of a sudden you’re talking about an absolute world beater of a player.”
Sheringham admits he is concerned that signing Rice this summer will make Arsenal an even stronger team.
As a result, the 56-year-old, who has Tottenham allegiances, wants him to go somewhere else rather than Arsenal.
“Wherever he goes he’s going to make that team a better team. Maybe Casemiro is in that role at Manchester United so perhaps they don’t need him,” added Sheringham.
“But he would definitely make Arsenal a better team. I don’t like to say it but they’re already good enough this season and I don’t want to see Declan go there because he will make them a better team.
“He could walk into any team.”
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