Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has named two midfield stars he would prefer over Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Chelsea star Moises Caicedo.
Rice has grown into one of the Premier League’s best midfield players since joining the Gunners from West Ham United for £105million, once again playing an integral role in his side’s rise to the top of the league in recent weeks.
Caicedo, a £115million signing from Brighton, has also been in terrific form for Chelsea, adding goals to his game with four already this term.
Scholes however does not name the pair in his top five midfielders, insisting he values a more ‘progressive’, controlling presence in the middle of the park.
The former United star names Paris Saint-Germain star Vitinha as a player most fitting that billing. While he has struggled to replicate last season’s form, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister is another singled out for praise.
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‘I get slagged off because I did a top five the other week and I don’t put people like Caicedo or Rice because I like a different type of midfielder,’ Scholes told The Overlap.
‘Vitihna at PSG is brilliant, he is amazing. I thought Mac Allister at Liverpool last year was brilliant, I know he hasn’t started that great this season.
‘But I like that more controlling midfielder who can do a bit of everything not just defensive one who might score the odd goal. I like the more progressive type.’
Thomas Tuchel has some big decisions to make regarding England’s midfield heading into next summer’s World Cup. Jude Bellingham was left out of his most recent squad along with Kobbie Mainoo, who has still not started a league game for Manchester United this season.
Elliot Anderson has come into the fold but injuries and form mean we have not seen the best of Phil Foden or Cole Palmer this term.
With options in the middle of the park limited, Scholes fears England are still missing a player with elite ‘game intelligence’.
‘Rice isn’t my type of midfielder,’ he continued. ‘Elliot Anderson has been good. I don’t think we have that type pf controlling midfielder who can do everything. We haven’t got a Vitinha, Toni Kroos or Luka Modric. We don’t have that.
‘Probably a while ago Jack Wilshere was the closest to being that type but a load of injuries stopped him.
‘I don’t think we have the type who has that game intelligence for when to slow it down, when to fizz it in a centre forward, I don’t think it is there.’