Liam Grace
Published November 27, 2025 4:20pm
Updated November 27, 2025 4:20pm
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Declan Rice says he has ‘a lot of respect’ for Chelsea star Moises Caicedo (Picture: Getty)
Declan Rice has told Moises Caicedo that he is ‘ready’ for a ‘battle’ when Arsenal make the trip to Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Gunners are top of the table heading into the clash at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea in second place and six points behind the current leaders.
Arsenal’s Rice and Chelsea’s Caicedo have both shined so far this season, leading to a debate among football pundits over which player is superior.
Gary Neville is convinced Caicedo has become the best midfielder in the Premier League but Jamie Carragher believes Rice is better than him.
Rice has now sent a message to Caicedo before the game in west London, telling CBS Sports: ‘First and foremost, I have a lot of respect for Moises.
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‘I’ve played against him since his Brighton days, since I was at West Ham. I voted him last year in my PFA Team of the Year, I thought he was outstanding last year, and he started this year incredibly well as well.
‘And there’s so much comparisons between us but we are playing different positions. He’s a full-blown six and I’m more box-to-box eight.
Moises Caicedo has massively impressed for the Blues (Picture: AFP/Getty)
‘So that [on] Sunday is going to be an interesting game, but I think the most important thing is that I have a lot of respect for him as a player like Roy [Keane] and Patrick [Vieira] did.
‘And yeah, it’s an exciting battle between us, and it’s one that I’ll be ready for.’
Arsenal paid £105m to sign Rice from West Ham in 2023 in the same summer window that Chelsea recruited Caicedo from Brighton for £115m.
‘Rice and Caicedo haven’t hit Rodri levels yet’
Rodri shined in the 2023-24 season for Manchester City (Picture: Getty)
Speaking exclusively to Metro this month, Jody Morris labelled Rice and Caicedo ‘world class’ but argued the duo have not matched the same level of performances as Rodri for Manchester City in the 2023-24 season.
‘For me, that type of midfielder, I think Rodri was the pinnacle when he won the [2024] Ballon d’Or,’ Morris said.
‘He hasn’t quite hit those levels [since] because of injury. I think he’s slightly different to Rice. I think Rice has a little bit more going forward.
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‘Rice can play as a No.6 at a really top-class level but I think you’re taking a little bit away from what he can offer when you get him to stay there.
‘At the end of last season, and this season, he plays more as a No.8. But I think he’s right up there.
‘I think Rice is a world-class player, I think Caicedo is a world-class player. [Ryan] Gravenberch, his levels last year, you have to say he had to be in the Team of the Year.
‘I think those three midfielders were the best performers [last season]. I don’t think Gravenverch has hit the same levels this year, the same as Rodri.’
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