Arsenal's midfield powerhouse on shortlist after stellar campaign
Declan Rice has been shortlisted for the 2024–25 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award following an outstanding second season at Arsenal.
Rice’s inclusion is the latest recognition of a campaign in which he solidified his status as one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders.
He featured in 52 matches across all competitions, scored nine goals, provided 10 assists and played a key role in Arsenal reaching the Champions League semi-finals and securing a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League.
His efforts earned him the club’s Player of the Season award nine goals, winning 90% of the club’s fan vote to beat nine goals and awards to the prize.
But Rice’s value to Mikel Arteta’s side extended well beyond the numbers.
He dictated tempo in midfield, broke up opposition attacks and delivered in key moments — including two vital goals in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid and a dramatic late winner at Old Trafford.
Rice also finished the season as the club’s second-most used outfield player, behind only William Saliba, underlining his fitness and durability during a demanding campaign.
He was named in the UEFA Champions League Team of the Season and was also a nominee for the Premier League Player of the Year award.
The PFA nomination adds another layer of validation to a season in which Rice became the standard-bearer for Arsenal’s midfield and a leader in every sense.
Since his £100 million move from West Ham in 2023, Rice has helped Arsenal exert greater control in big matches and evolve tactically under Arteta.
His combination of work rate, vision, defensive awareness and attacking threat has made him undroppable.
Among the other contenders, Salah is bidding to become the first player to win the award three times after registering 47 goal contributions and guiding Liverpool to the title.
Isak fired Newcastle United into the Champions League, while Palmer, Fernandes and Mac Allister also enjoyed standout campaigns.
Rice’s consistency across competitions and influence at both ends of the pitch make him a worthy inclusion.
Should he win, he would become the first Arsenal player to do so since Thierry Henry in 2004.
The post Arsenal's midfield powerhouse on shortlist after stellar campaign first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.