England icon Gary Linkeker has claimed that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice could require rest during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating the star has been overplayed this season.
Rice, 27, is considered one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world, causing him to be a vital starter for both his club and country. The former West Ham United star has started 45 of his 51 total appearances for Arsenal this season, featuring in 4066 minutes so far. He has started all six of his appearances for his national team since the start of last July as well.
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Speaking recently on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker suggested Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo should be included in England’s World Cup squad as a backup for Rice. He said (h/t Metro):
“I think this is really important, this World Cup is like no other we’ve ever had. There’s an extra round of matches. It’s going to be played in exceptional heat like most World Cups are but there are a lot of games to play. You’re going to have to rotate, players are going to get injured. The more players that you’ve got that are seriously good the better.”
Lineker, who scored 10 goals in only 12 World Cup appearances during his playing career for England, continued:
“You could see Rice… Declan is overplayed. He’s played so many games and he probably covers more yardage than most players. He could run out of steam at some point and need a rest. To have options in this World Cup particularly with the extra round in there it’s going to be invaluable to have someone that’s burst into form.”
Meanwhile, Mainoo has bounced back to form since Michael Carrick’s arrival at the Red Devils earlier in January. He recently netted the winner in a 3-2 victory against Liverpool at Old Trafford, taking his tally up to a goal and two assists in 13 Premier League starts under the new boss.
Arsenal keen to sign PSG attacker
According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are monitoring Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Bradley Barcola’s situation. They will face competition from the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea for the star this summer.
With his deal set to expire in June 2028, Barcola’s entourage are on the lookout for a new club for the Frenchman. He has also attracted interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund of late.
The 23-year-old Arsenal target has bagged 12 goals and provided seven assists in 44 games in all competitions for PSG so far this campaign.
Edited by Debkalpa Banerjee