Kyle Walker believes Declan Rice’s transfer to Arsenal has significantly enhanced England’s prospects for Euro 2024 this summer.
In a £105 million deal from West Ham last summer, Rice's move to Arsenal has proven instrumental in Mikel Arteta’s team's performance this season, keeping them in contention for both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Speaking on Vibe With Five with former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand, Walker discussed the impact of Rice’s presence at Arsenal on England’s midfield dynamics.
"I like him [Foden] in the middle, I do like him in the middle, No.10," Walker said. "Especially how I think he could benefit England with Bukayo Saka... Declan, being at Arsenal now is massive."
Walker emphasized the shift towards possession-based football with Rice in the squad, highlighting past instances where England struggled to control the game after taking an early lead.
"I’m not saying he wasn’t a very good player at West Ham but knowing how, possession-based football, I think we got to certain phases, especially in Russia [2018 World Cup] when Trippier scored and then in the Euros when Luke Shaw scores, we score too early and don’t control the game," Walker explained.
He further elaborated, "Where now I feel, especially in the last two fixtures, we scored, we were winning, and we played in their half still."
Walker echoed his sentiments, stressing the importance of maintaining control and avoiding a transitional game approach.
"But once you get that many corners and that many good attacks with international players. If you don’t do that process, if you start making it a transitional game, flip a coin and see what happens," Rice concluded.
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