According to a report by Daily Post on Thursday, November 5, 2026, former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov has identified three midfielders he believes are currently performing at a higher level than Arsenal's Declan Rice.

The former Bulgarian international named Paris Saint-Germain's Vitinha, Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Barcelona's Rodri as his preferred midfielders ahead of the England international.

Berbatov made these comments despite Rice producing an impressive performance in Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

The 27-year-old played a crucial role in the encounter, providing the assist for Kai Havertz's winning goal. His outstanding display earned him the Man of the Match award as Arsenal secured an important three points.

However, Berbatov believes that Rice still has some ground to cover before matching the quality of the three midfielders he mentioned. Although he acknowledged the Arsenal star's abilities, he considers Vitinha, Bellingham and Rodri among the finest midfielders in the game at present.

Despite placing them above Rice, the former striker praised the England international for his importance to Arsenal and the influence he has on Mikel Arteta's squad.

Berbatov described Rice as a dependable leader who brings tremendous energy, consistency and commitment to every match. He also stressed that the midfielder has become an important figure in the team's overall performance.

Furthermore, the former Manchester United striker expressed concerns about Rice's workload, suggesting that Arsenal should consider giving him some rest as the busy festive period approaches.

He believes that managing the midfielder's playing time would help him remain physically prepared and maintain his impressive performances during the demanding run of fixtures expected before December.

Meanwhile, Rice continued to feature prominently for Arsenal on Wednesday, completing the entire 90 minutes in their UEFA Champions League victory over Slavia Prague.