‘He could walk into ANY team’: Teddy Sheringham insists Declan Rice will make any side that he joins in the summer better… and that all he needs to do is add goals to his game to become ‘an absolute world beater’
Teddy Sheringham has insisted that Declan Rice can become ‘an absolute world beater’.
The midfielder shone once again on Thursday as England put in an impressive performance to beat Italy in their Euro 2024 qualifying opener in Naples.
He had effectively been branded limited by Sportsmail columnist Graeme Souness, which the player himself described as ‘harsh’.
Rice is currently in a relegation battle with West Ham in the Premier League, but seems set to move on in the summer transfer window.
Speaking on TalkSport, former England forward Sheringham insisted that Rice will make whoever he signs for better.
Teddy Sheringham has insisted Declan Rice can be a ‘world beater’ if he adds goals to his game
Rice scored England’s opening goal on Thursday evening against Italy in Naples
Sheringham added that Rice will improve any team he joins when he eventually leaves West Ham
‘When you’re talking about top players, you put them up against other top players,’ Sheringham began. ‘The complete midfield player would be able to defend, tackle, run forward, but score goals as well.
‘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 but he would definitely make Arsenal a better team.
‘I don’t like to say it because they’re already good enough this season and I don’t want to see Declan go there because they’re already good enough, but he could walk into any team for me.’
Sheringham added that Rice only needs to add goals to his game.
Rice impressed throughout England’s win over Italy as his stock continues to rise
He led the celebrations at full-time as England got their qualifying campaign off to the perfect start
He said: ‘If you add a couple of goals to Declan’s game, not a couple but six or seven, with what he’s got at the moment, you’re taking about an absolute world beater of a player.’
Souness, meanwhile, wrote in his Daily Mail column in February that Rice has only one of there essential components of a central midfielder.
‘This role is a vital part of any team because in an ideal world, it’s multi-dimensional,’ he said. ‘You are creative, you chip in with goals and you’ve got a defensive head at all times.
‘If you’ve got all three of those attributes, you’re worth your weight in gold. For me, Rice has just one of them.
‘Judge him on the defensive aspect alone and you would have to say he’s the best in the country in that position. It’s when you comes to the other two important parts of being a central midfield player that I do think Rice is a bit short. Factor those in and I would have to say he’s not the best in that position.’
Sportsmail columnist and ex-Liverpool star Souness (pictured) effectively called Rice limited
Rice responded to Souness earlier this week, branding the comments ‘harsh’.
He said: ‘There’s loads of West Ham fans, 60,000 go every week, they see what I do.
‘But Souness was a player and when someone like him speaks, you have to sometimes listen and take on board where you can improve, if that’s true.’
Rice scored England’s second goal of the victory over Italy on Thursday night.
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