Alan Smith says £105m signing Declan Rice is no longer ‘essential’ to Arsenal

Arsenal hero Alan Smith and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta (Pictures: Getty)

Alan Smith insists Declan Rice remains an ‘important’ player for Arsenal but says his former club have proved they can cope without the England midfielder.

Rice has made 66 appearances for the Gunners since completing a £105m move from West Ham in the summer of 2023.

The 25-year-old did not miss a Premier League game last season as Mikel Arteta’s side came agonisingly close to winning the title, eventually finishing just two points behind Manchester City.

Man City also attempted to sign Rice during his final few months at West Ham but Arsenal won the race, bringing him to the Emirates Stadium on a ‘long-term contract’.

Rice has continued to impress for Arsenal this season but has already missed more games than he did during the entire 2023-24 campaign, one through suspension and one – against Nottingham Forest on Saturday – through injury.

The ex-Hammers captain returned to Arsenal’s starting line-up on Tuesday night in the Champions League thrashing at Sporting Lisbon but was replaced in the 70th minute by summer signing Mikel Merino.

Rice remains a hugely influential figure at Arsenal but ex-striker Smith says five of his team-mates are more ‘essential’ than him.

Arsenal signed Rice from West Ham for £105m (Picture: Getty)

‘If I were to pick five players I deem essential to that Arsenal starting XI, I’d have to start with David Raya because he’s really been playing well and his ability with the ball at his feet is great,’ Smith told Mega Dice.

‘I’d then choose both William Saliba and Gabriel, they’re really important in that centre-half position although Saliba more so than Gabriel as Jurrien Timber has been getting some game time there.

‘My final two would be Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. Yes, Rice is important, but he was out at the weekend and they still won well so that’s encouraging.’

Odegaard missed more than two months of football after suffering an injury back in early September but has returned from the treatment room over the past month.

Arsenal suffered a major wobble during Odegaard’s absence and have look much-improved since the Norwegian midfielder returned to action.

‘Martin Odegaard has made an immediate impact coming back from injury,’ Smith added.

‘It’s not often you see a player come back and reach their top level instantly, but he seems to have done that. That’s down to his professionalism when he’s been out and his desire to get back in and do well.

‘He’s one of the most important players there, when it’s tight against very defensive teams and you need someone to unpick that lock, he’s their go-to man to do that and improve their chances of the title this season.

‘I think Mikel Arteta does know what his best starting XI is, and more often than not he’s picked it when he’s been able to.

‘It may have been a little departure from that against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, though, as Declan Rice has suffered a small injury, Kai Havertz has put in a lot of work recently for both club and country – so a couple of his key players were left out.

‘It was great they could get the win without those players; you’ve got to just use the squad if you’re going to challenge both domestic and European competitions.

‘I think that win would have given him more confidence in his squad, that he can still get good results and pick up those wins without those key players.’

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