Declan Rice has enjoyed a superb season at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
Declan Rice believes that one Arsenal teammate has helped him raise his levels even further, with the midfielder declaring he has felt ‘unstoppable’ at times this season.
Rice has enjoyed a superb all-action campaign in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield, helping to guide his side to the top of the Premier League table and still on for a historic quadruple.
The 27-year-old has barely missed a game all season, while his deliveries from corners and free-kicks becoming the cornerstone of the Gunners’ terrifying set-piece prowess.
And such have been his levels of performance that the England international even finds himself highly fancied with the bookmakers when it comes to the Ballon d’Or.
Rice has consistently improved year on year since his record-breaking move from West Ham in 2023, but he was keen to credit midfield partner Martin Zubimendi for helping unlock another level oin his own game.
Zubimendi only signed from Real Sociedad for £60million last summer, but has fitted seamlessly into the base of Arteta’s midfield, with Rice full of praise for the Spanish midfielder.
‘I think every year I’ve tried to raise my level and raise my game,’ he told The Sun. ‘It’s something my dad always said to me, like, how are you going to improve every year? How are you going to get better?
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Martin Zubimendi has been an instant success at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
‘It’s weird because I don’t think about it. I just go out and play and I’m lucky that I get to play football matches. I’m fit. Zubi[mendi] has been a massive help this season. He’s been really, really good.
‘Once you get in that momentum and into the swing of things, your confidence comes, and there’ve been points this season where I felt unstoppable at times, and there’s no better feeling than going onto a football pitch with confidence, you know you’re going to go on and play well.’
Rice continued: ‘I think I always have in my mind, first thing of the game, always do it to a good standard, whether it’s a header, a tackle, a duel. If you win that, it gets your mind in the right place.
Rice hailed Zubimendi’s impact on his performances this season (Picture: Getty)
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‘Whereas if you lose it, it can have a negative impact and you start to think the other way. So I always try to get my mind in the right place and that spurs me on to go and play well.’
Asked about being in the discussion to win the Ballon d’Or, Rice was keen to not look too far ahead, adding: ‘It’s unreal, obviously. You want to be involved in them conversations. I think they’re the right ones to be involved in.
‘Obviously, I appreciate the fans for saying that. It’s such a long way away because I need to keep playing well. I need to keep maintaining this level. But also, you see the recent Ballon d’Or winners, what they’ve won during their season.
‘Hopefully we can have a successful season and I can be involved in them conversations. That would be amazing. If not, that’s not something that I’m setting my eye on. I really want the team to do well first.
‘We’re lucky enough, like I said, to be in every competition still at this stage of the season. There’s so many big teams who’ve been knocked out already.
‘So we put ourselves in a really strong position to go forward and put ourselves in the best way.’
Arsenal are back in action on Sunday as they host Chelsea at the Emirates.
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