Declan Rice could help Arsenal sign wonderkid this summer

Stuart Telford

• 14 Apr 2024 09:00 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal are in the market for a Granit Xhaka replacement and the presence of Declan Rice could prove key to the Gunners signing one of their top targets next summer.

Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top end of the Premier League, two points behind Manchester City but having played a game less ahead of Sunday's meeting with Aston Villa.

Rice has anchored their midfield with quite some aplomb since his £100 million arrival from West Ham, but Mikel Arteta would like another player in his mould with Thomas Partey's future uncertain.

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Xhaka was previously that extra layer of defensive discipline, but he will likely now spend this weekend celebrating a Bundesliga title win with Bayer Leverkusen.

Arsenal have shortlisted Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Larsson as the man to do that job, and the young Swede has revealed his admiration for the Premier League and, in particular, Rice.

Larsson's Premier League 'dream'

"In Sweden, everyone is traditionally focused on the Premier League," he told media at a pre-match press conference. "And I absolutely dream of playing there one day too. But at the moment I feel very comfortable in the Bundesliga."

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Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old Swede, but Arsenal should have the advantage thanks to Rice.

"He's a similar type of player to me," Larsson continued. "He does a lot of good things offensively and defensively, I look up to him."

Larsson is valued at €21.8 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm - a figure well within Arsenal's range - although interest from Anfield and beyond could drive that figure up significantly this summer.

FootballTransfers' official data partner SciSPorts tags Larsson's potential ability at 116.6, which would take him beyond another player in his position, Jorginho (107.2), although not quite as high as Rice (122.6).