Premier League update: Rice & Rodri reach €110m as holding midfielders surge in value
Arsenal’s summer signing Declan Rice and Manchester City treble winner Rodri both saw their impressive start to the season rewarded with another €10 million rise in value, taking both player’s market value to €110m in the most recent Transfermarkt Premier League update. It looks as though the pair are both going to be involved in a tumultuous title race this season, and have both risen in value by €30m over the past 12 months.
Rice has had an electric start to his Gunners career, following his €116m move across London from West Ham in the summer. He won Arsenal’s August Premier League player of the month, and has already become a fan favourite at the Emirates, whilst Rodri remains an irreplaceable cog in Pep Guardiola’s machinery. Rice will be hoping to be the difference in the Gunners’ huge game this Saturday, as first placed Arsenal go head-to-head with second placed Liverpool at Anfield with just one point between the two teams.
Why are holding midfielders no longer the silent heroes?
In year’s gone by holding midfielders had become synonymous with doing the dirty work and providing the platform for those in front of them to flourish, without getting the due credit they perhaps deserved. Attackers and wide players stole the headlines and demanded the highest transfer fees, with defensive midfielders going under the radar and often seen as replaceable. However, that’s changing.
Last summer both Rice and defensive midfielder Moisés Caicedo made moves worth over €100m to Arsenal and Chelsea respectively. Enzo Fernández also made the move to Stamford Bridge for €121m last January, and Manchester United even paid €70.65m for Casemiro last summer despite him already being 30 years old at the time. With top teams like Man City and Arsenal now often dominating possession, and committing two of their three central midfielders higher up the pitch, the lone holding midfield player is more valuable than ever. As you can see below, three of the five most expensive signings in Premier League history have been for players capable of playing defensive midfield.
This player has to be capable of reading the game exceptionally to intercept, tackle and be strong in the press, and have the legs and capacity to make long sprints back and cover counter attacks. Add to this, the necessity to be incredible on the ball, capable of receiving it on the half-turn in tight areas, attracting opposition players to beat the press and kick starting attacks with top-level passing, the players proficient of all this are coming at a premium.
Rice and Rodri’s importance
Rice is already adored in North London, much like he was in East London during his time at West Ham. Essentially replacing Thomas Partey's role in the team was never going to be easy, with the Ghanian an outstanding performer for Arsenal in their title challenge last term, but Rice has still added an abundance more to that position."His leadership skills are unquestionable. When you meet him and you spend the first five minutes with him, you get the feeling and impression that he’s someone who is going to help so much with the dressing room and the approach that we want to take into games." proclaimed Mikel Arteta after the acquisition of Rice back in August.
The 24 year old has already taken the Gunners to another level defensively this season, whilst also contributing massively to their efforts going forward. Arsenal have the joint most clean sheets in the Premier League this campaign, the joint least goals conceded, the least expected goals conceded and second fewest shots faced. Bournemouth’s Lewis Cook is the only midfielder to have made more interceptions than Rice this season in the Premier League, with the Englishmen reading the game superbly and winning the ball back repeatedly with his dynamic lunges and huge strides.
His contributions at the other end have perhaps surprised some as well; Rice has notched crucial late goals against Man United, Chelsea and Luton this season, and already has two Premier League assists to his name. He is setting the tempo for Arteta’s team too, consistently picking out wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, and being the foundation for attacks - the only regular midfielder to have completed more Premier League passes than Rice this season is Rodri.
This season Man City have lost three Premier League games - Rodri missed all three of those matches due to suspension. The Sky Blues are actually unbeaten this season, in all competitions, with the former Atletico Madrid midfielder in their starting eleven. He is simply instrumental to the frightening rhythm and tempo Guardiola’s treble winners create, and without him something isn’t quite right.
Kalvin Phillips was brought in as the Spaniard’s understudy in the 2022 summer transfer window for €49 million, but has never looked comfortable when deputising for Rodri, and doesn't appear to have the faith and trust of his manager. Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic have both been trialled in a deeper role in Rodri’s absence, but don’t seem to have the natural defensive instinct for the position, and look more comfortable higher up the pitch - no one has been able to get anywhere near replicating the levels of calmness, control and cohesion Rodri ensures.
Rodri’s 93.6% pass completion is the highest among all midfielders in the division, and not a single player in the English top-flight has completed more short passes than Rodri. He makes Man City’s superstars tick. He also contributes in an attacking regard, with five goals and six assists in 18 games in the Premier League and Champions League this campaign.
Man City and Arsenal dominate - The most valuable players in the Premier League
- Date of birth/Age:
- Jan 14, 1999 (25)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Arsenal FC
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2028
- Position:
- Defensive Midfield
- Market Value:
- €110.00m
- Date of birth/Age:
- Jun 22, 1996 (27)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Manchester City
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2027
- Position:
- Defensive Midfield
- Market Value:
- €110.00m
- Date of Birth/Age:
- 18.01.1971 (53)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Manchester City
- Current Position:
- Manager
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- In charge since:
- Jul 1, 2016
- Date of Birth/Age:
- 26.03.1982 (42)
-
Nat.:
- Current club:
- Arsenal FC
- Current Position:
- Manager
- Contract until:
- Jun 30, 2025
- In charge since:
- Dec 22, 2019
- Total Market Value:
- €1.12bn
- Competition:
- Premier League
- Position:
- 1.
- Manager:
- Mikel Arteta
- Squad size:
- 25
- Latest Transfer:
- David Raya
- Total Market Value:
- €1.27bn
- Competition:
- Premier League
- Position:
- 2.
- Manager:
- Pep Guardiola
- Squad size:
- 22
- Latest Transfer:
- Claudio Echeverri
