Arsenal fans are outraged at Jamie Carragher’s suggestion that Declan Rice and other key stars will soon be questioning their future at the club.
Carragher believes Arsenal risk losing key players including Rice unless they can get their hands on silverware soon.
The Liverpool legend warned that Rice, who signed for Arsenal for £100million in 2023, may be having headaches over his future if they have another barren season.
It has now been five seasons since the Gunners lifted a trophy besides the Community Shield.
Arsenal came from behind against champions Liverpool to pinch a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday, all but sealing Champions League football. But after another frustrating year of being nearlymen, Mikel Arteta has come under scrutiny and Carragher fears they risk losing the team they have built.
‘I don’t think right now [Rice will be doubting his future],’ Carragher told Sky Sports. ‘I think for other players maybe in the team who have been there a little bit longer.
Arsenal fans are annoyed with Jamie Carragher’s claim that Declan Rice may consider leaving
The pundit warned Rice may start to question his future if they endure another barren season
However, he argued that players who have been there longer like William Saliba may be having those thoughts more urgently
‘In terms of Declan, I think he’s been Arsenal’s best player this season. I’m not saying he’d give it another 12 months, but I think those doubts maybe kick in in another 12 months.
‘It might be different for somebody like a [William] Saliba, who has been there a little bit longer and is desperate to get his hands on some silverware.
‘I don’t think there will be any thoughts like that right now, I think they all feel they’re really close. They are very close, but we all know as players the final step is the biggest one.’
Rice is contracted until 2028, with an option of an extra year, though the likes of Saliba, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Magalhaes see their deals expire the season before.
Arsenal fans have hit out at Carragher and Sky Sports on X, believing he is just ‘trolling’ the perennial second-placed outfit.
‘Jamie Carragher just taking shots at Arsenal, left and right! Arteta, Saliba, Rice, the board. No objectivity, no analysis just a Twitter Troll employed by SKY,’ one fan said.
‘No actual football analysis, just creating imaginary narratives every week,’ another said.
One wrote: ‘[Gary] Neville and Carragher have been a disgrace all season (and for some time) on Sky, but both took it to new levels today – Neville’s Arteta appraisal and Carragher’s Rice career threat. Seemingly without any consequences from the people who run the platform they’ve been given.’
Another questioned: ‘Is this the same Carragher who said, “I’m sick of people telling Liverpool fans how they should feel?” Yet here he is assuming how Arsenal players feel.’
However, some supporters were on board with Carragher’s sentiment.
‘Not really sure why people are bothered by it? As long as we continue failing to win trophies, this stuff will continue,’ one said.
Another wrote: ‘That’s true words said right there, Declan needs to sit with the club and see what’s the plan ahead, because this guy is on his prime, and he deserves better.’
Arsenal have indeed come close under Arteta this season, having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and Carabao Cup, though they are 15 points behind Liverpool and lost to Manchester United in the FA Cup third round.
Injuries have been a mitigating circumstance – Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Ben White, and Martin Odegaard have all endured medium-long term injuries. Havertz and Jesus won’t be back until next season.
After Arsenal beat Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals, Rice seemed to hint at wanting a long-term future at the club.
‘I sensed it before I signed that we were on an upward trajectory, I felt it,’ he told TNT Sports.
‘This club is going to do special things over the next few years, we all fully believe it. We have full trust in this manager, he’s unbelievable.’
