Rio Ferdinand was recently asked to weigh in on who he believes is the best midfielder in the Premier League between Arsenal star Declan Rice and Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo. The former Manchester United defender made his stance clear, highlighting that while the two players share some similarities, they also possess distinct attributes that suit different roles on the pitch.

Ferdinand explained that his choice would depend largely on the specific role a player is expected to fulfil in the team. He admitted that Rice is better suited for a more advanced position, contributing significantly to offensive play. On the other hand, Caicedo’s natural instinct leans towards defensive duties, with a keen ability to sense and disrupt opposition attacks.

Speaking on his podcast, *Rio Ferdinand Presents*, he said:
“I think that they have a lot of similarities in their game. Declan, if you let him off the leash, he’ll give you more going forward. But Caicedo, defensively, he smells danger quicker and better, that’s more of his make-up. I don’t think there’s much between them [at the moment], if I’m being honest. I’d be happy to have either one of them. Both of them, when they were on the market to be sold, I was screaming for Manchester United to buy them.”

Ferdinand also reflected on what kind of impact either player could have made at Manchester United, had the club secured their transfers. He added:
“I saw the value in Caicedo, I thought he would have been magnificent for Manchester United. Declan would have also been a ridiculous signing as well. It depends on what position you’re going to play them in. If you’re going to play a holding midfielder, I’d probably say Caicedo. But if you’re going to play as a No. 8, I would say Declan. You let Declan go forward, he scores more goals than Caicedo all day long.”

Both Rice and Caicedo made an impact last weekend in the Premier League, each scoring a goal as Arsenal beat West Ham 2-0 and Chelsea defeated Liverpool 2-1.

### Arsenal and Chelsea Face Tough Away Games After International Break

The battle for Premier League dominance will continue when the league returns after the international break. Both Arsenal and Chelsea head into the next round of fixtures buoyed by their recent victories.

Arsenal’s win helped them climb to the top of the table with 16 points, while Chelsea remain close behind with 11 points from seven games. Should Arsenal stumble against Fulham and Chelsea secure a victory over Nottingham Forest, the gap between the two sides would narrow to just two points, setting up an exciting tussle for supremacy in the weeks ahead.
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