Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland don’t quite see eye to eye when it comes to picking the Arsenal player every Premier League club would love to have. Both agree that the Gunners have top-tier talent, but each has a different midfield star in mind.
For Guardiola, it’s no contest: Declan Rice is the one midfielder that every Premier League team, including Manchester City, would want in their ranks. On the other hand, Haaland, with a bit of national pride, sees his fellow Norwegian, Martin Odegaard, as the ideal addition to City’s already star-studded squad.
With City and Arsenal emerging as fierce rivals in recent title races, Guardiola has never shied away from praising Arsenal’s talent, especially his former players like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus. But when it comes to the one Arsenal player he believes could slot seamlessly into any team, Rice stands out for Guardiola. City was heavily linked with the England international before Arsenal snapped him up for a hefty £105 million fee in the summer.
Reflecting on City’s near miss with Rice, Guardiola explained, “Sometimes there are players we want but can’t get. Declan Rice is one of them. He’s a young international captain playing regularly for England, and every team in the Premier League would have wanted him.”
Despite not securing Rice, Guardiola’s City is doing just fine with Rodri, who has emerged as one of the best midfielders in world football, occupying a similar role to the Arsenal star.
While Guardiola’s pick is clear, Haaland has other ideas. If given the chance to poach a player from Arsenal, the prolific striker would opt for Odegaard rather than Rice or Bukayo Saka. Haaland, who shares national ties with the Arsenal captain, said: “Yes, I think so. There’s a good player, and a player that plays for our rivals. He’s just signed a new contract, so it’s not a topic, but at City, we already have a lot of the best players in the world.”
Odegaard has certainly earned Haaland’s admiration, but Arsenal fans can breathe easy knowing both he and Rice are locked into long-term deals at the Emirates. Rice’s £105 million move in 2023 came with a five-year contract, keeping him with the Gunners until 2028, while Odegaard extended his stay the same year, ensuring he’ll be in North London for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately for Odegaard, an ankle ligament injury sustained during a September friendly means he’ll miss the upcoming title clash with City this weekend. Meanwhile, Rice will be ready for action after serving a suspension during Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham in the North London derby.
The differing opinions from Guardiola and Haaland highlight the immense talent in Arsenal’s squad, but it’s clear both Rice and Odegaard are viewed as central to the Gunners’ future. As these two clubs continue to battle at the top of the table, it’s players like these who could make all the difference.
