Declan Rice has been an individual success since he came to Arsenal in 2023, but he might have had another big trophy if he had taken into account if he had detected the advice of a former Premier League star
The words of ex-Newcastle United midfielder Geremi from two years ago could feel that they are chasing Declan Rice. That is after the dual Champions League winner said that he “should not hesitate” to join the Magpies who have ended their trophy-driedness since Rice caught their claims.
Rice, 26, won the Europa Conference League in his last act with West Ham. With the English star that summer on the way out, Newcastle was among those who have been interested in signing him. However, the midfielder ignored their claims in favor of a transfer of £ 105 million to the Emirates.
The former Hammers captain wanted to become a member of a club that would consistently compete for silverware. But as fate would have, Newcastle has since ended their 70-year search for a domestic trophy after winning the Carabao Cup in March. They got better from Liverpool in Wembley to bring a piece of silverware home that would certainly come for a long time.
Arsenal, on the other hand, is still waiting to eliminate their first trophy since Rice joined their ranks, after he had not won a big trophy since the FA Cup in 2020.
The Gunners still finished above the men of Eddie Howe in the Premier League after they had demanded a third consecutive finish. But Newcastle fans would like to take fifth and a place in next season's Champions League if it also means that they get a trophy.
Rice can ask himself at a certain level what could have been, and the words of former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Geremi Ring True. The magpies came for criticism because of their controversial takeover by the Saudi Aarabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), but the club has quickly taken steps to become an important force in the pecking order of England.
“Newcastle is a great team that is going in the right direction,” Geremi told Lord Ping in April 2023. “The fans are absolutely great – she (Rice and Moussa Diaby, who started joining Aston Villa at Aston Villa to join the club that summer.
“If goals in Newcastle need some advice, they should not hesitate to call me!”
Although they may have missed Rice, Newcastle signed Italy International Sandro Tonali from AC Milan that same summer. And the 25-year-old has performed admirably in a very similar box-to-box capacity under Howe.
The manager has also earned compliments for the reinventing of former Center-Forward Joelinton in a powerful presence in midfield. In the meantime, Bruno Guimaraes has written his name in Newcastle Folklore for his performances as a skipper.
All in all, the northeastern outfit can have very little regrets about missing rice given the midfield corps that they have built in his absence. Rice also seems satisfied in North Londs, although the absence of silverware to show for his problems will hurt.
Rice was called the player of the Arsenal season before 2024/25 after he had impressed his second -year campaign. He was also named both the Champions League team of the season and the Premier League -Fanteam of the season.
Yet for few, for few, if he is unable to add more team titles to his cabinet, he will be able to add more team titles while he is at Arsenal. And the player cannot say that he was not told that his needs would be served well in the northeast.