‘We should have signed him!’ - Steven Gerrard makes Liverpool transfer admission over ‘animal’ Declan Rice

In the summer of 2023, Rice was a hot property in the English transfer market as he was fresh from winning a European trophy as captain of West Ham. The Hammers had defeated Fiorentina in the final to clinch the Europa Conference League title and Rice played a key role in the triumph.

At one point in the transfer window, Manchester City were leading the race to secure the transfer, however, they pulled out when West Ham demanded a fee in excess of £90 million ($121.5 million). Liverpool also ended their pursuit of the English midfielder as his price was too steep for the Reds. Ultimately, the Gunners signed him for a record fee. In the past couple of seasons, Rice has significantly improved as a player and is now a key member of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal and Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions sides.

Gerrard appreciated his compatriot's current form while praising the midfielder as he said on The Smith Brothers podcast: "I think he’s really getting into that class where he’s becoming a world-class midfielder. He’s maybe one we should’ve tried to grab from West Ham, I don’t know whether we did but imagine him in this midfield now."

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Further praising the Gunners star, Gerrard added: "I love Declan Rice. I’ve been singing his praises for a long time. I coached [Aston] Villa against West Ham before he went to Arsenal, I didn’t realise how big he was because hadn’t met him in person. You get in the tunnel and think, 'Oh my god, that’s some profile for a midfielder.' If you’re building a midfielder, he’s got a body to die for, if you’re 6'1, 6'2, and have the legs and the power, that’s the midfielder you want to be. He was calm in possession, an animal out of it, up and down, I really like him as a person as well."

Former Manchester United forward and captain Wayne Rooney backed Rice to replace Harry Kane as the England captain in future as he said on his Wayne Rooney Show: "I have to say, Declan Rice is incredible, it was a pleasure watching him. He was all over the pitch and his decision making, when to pass it, where to pass it, what foot to pass it to, his detail on his pass. And it was a pleasure to watch, he was absolutely incredible. He's splitting the centre-backs, he's taking the ball off the centre-backs, acting as a third centre-back, then next minute he's in the box, trying to score a goal. 

"The detail of his passes, picking up second balls, always landing on balls, and sometimes some of the stuff he does goes a little bit underrated, but he was absolutely incredible. Obviously Harry Kane's captain, but he's the future captain of England. For me, he's the one who's probably waiting for Harry to hang his boots up at some point. Then he's the right one to take over for me because just his drive, his personality, everyone seems to love him, who knows him, who's close to him. He's irreplaceable for England."

Rice will be back in action for Mikel Arteta's side on Tuesday night as they take on red-hot Aston Villa in a crucial Premier League clash at home.