Wayne Rooney praises Declan Rice’s leadership and performance, calling him the ideal long-term successor to Harry Kane for England

Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has hailed Declan Rice as a future England captain following the Arsenal midfielder’s commanding display in the Premier League win at Everton.

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Rooney watched Mikel Arteta’s side secure a narrow 1-0 victory on Saturday, which lifted Arsenal back to the top of the league table.

The 26-year-old Rice was pivotal in midfield, controlling play and demonstrating leadership qualities Rooney believes make him Harry Kane’s ideal long-term successor.

As reported by BBC Sports on Monday, Rooney said, “For me, he’s the one who’s probably waiting for Harry to hang up his boots at some point. His drive and his personality stand out. Everyone who knows him seems to love him.”

Rooney praised Rice’s all-round performance against Everton. “He was all over the pitch. His decision-making – when to pass it, where to pass it, what foot to pass it to, his detail on his pass – it was a pleasure to watch. He was absolutely incredible,” he said.

The former England striker also highlighted Rice’s versatility. “He was splitting centre-backs, taking the ball off centre-backs, acting as a third centre-back, then next minute he’s in the box, trying to score a goal. Sometimes, some of the stuff he does is a bit underrated,” Rooney added.

Also read: Kane Leads Bayern to Dominant Bundesliga Win at Heidenheim

Concluding, he said, “He’s the right one to take over for me, because of his drive, his personality. Everyone seems to love him, who knows him, who’s close to him. He’s irreplaceable for England.”