'Maybe one day a Ballon d'Or' - Owen Hargreaves and Martin Keown talk up 'remarkable' Arsenal star Declan Rice amid Premier League title tilt

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Declan Rice will put himself into the Ballon d'Or contention should he continue his development, according to TNT Sports expert Owen Hargreaves. Hargreaves spoke with Rice about his performances in an Arsenal shirt on The Breakdown ahead of The Gunners welcoming Bournemouth in Saturday's lunchtime Premier League clash as the north London side look to go 12 points clear at the top of the table.

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Owen Hargreaves believes that Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice will put himself into Ballon d'Or contention should he continue his current trajectory.

Rice is one of the favourites to win the PFA Player of the Year award, having played a starring role for The Gunners this season.

The north London side sit nine points clear at the top of the Premier League heading into the final furlong of the 2025/26 season, with the chance to extend that lead to 12 against Bournemouth on Saturday - live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

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And a core reason for their success has been Rice’s performances, with the England international continuing to shine in the middle of the park for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Hargreaves highlighted the numbers behind Rice’s superb season so far on TNT Sports' The Breakdown ahead of Arsenal welcoming The Cherries to the Emirates Stadium in Saturday's early kick-off.

The former Manchester United star believes that Rice’s best quality is his "consistency" and that if he maintains his development, then he may one day go on to land Europe’s individual accolade.

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Speaking on TNT Sports, Hargreaves recalled how he first met Rice during his time at West Ham before stating: "Look how far he’s come.

"He might be the player of the season now. The way he’s developed since coming here.

"One of the producers asked me 'What do you like about Declan most?' and I said 'He’s just consistent'.

"And then I asked Mikel the same thing. I said 'what do you like about Declan the most?' And he said 'he’s consistent'.

"And I asked Declan the same thing, and he said the same.

"It’s remarkable. Everybody said the same thing. As fans, you come and watch this team play, and it’s great, but you know what you’re going to get from Declan every game.

"And I think that is just so valuable. He’s just such a special player. And the thing I’m amazed at is that he just keeps getting better and better and better.

"I don’t think even he could have envisioned being player of the year and maybe one day, a Ballon d’Or.

"But he’s put himself in this position, and he just keeps getting better."

'More under the bonnet'

Fellow TNT Sports expert Keown was in agreement with Hargreaves on Rice, adding: "I still think there is more under the bonnet. It’s quite remarkable.

"When he runs with the ball and the pace he has in the final third.

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"I think Zubimendi alongside him, because it’s never about one player, freed him up, has allowed him to get forward, and be more of an all-purpose midfield player.

"He’s been magnificent. When he’s not there, you see what a big loss he is to the football club.

"It’s really important that he’s back in that midfield today to secure possession for Arsenal."

'He's one of the best in the world'

Rice was not the only first team Arsenal star Hargreaves praised ahead of the Bournemouth clash.

Goalkeeper David Raya earned high praise after keeping Sporting CP scoreless in Tuesday's 1-0 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final, and the Spaniard has kept more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper in the Premier League this season.

Hargreaves spoke highly of the 'exceptional' 30-year-old, stating: "He's one of the best in the world. He's right in that conversation.

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"We saw Manuel Neuer put on a world-class performance for Bayern Munich against Real Madrid, and I think that's the level these guys aspire to.

"Most clean sheets in the Premier League, best goalkeeper in the Premier League this season, [he] is exceptional.

"The growth of this team starts with him. He makes big saves, he's brilliant with his feet. He's got everything."

Raya impressed during a four-year spell with Brentford, during which he helped the club rise into the Premier League, and Keown expressed his praise for the goalkeeper's impact.

"He came here with a big point to prove, and he's so alive to every situation," Keown said. "He's first class in everything that he does."

The words of praise come after Kai Havertz dubbed Raya "the best keeper in the world" following Arsenal's win in Lisbon on Tuesday.

"Do you know? He might be," Hargreaves said. "We're talking about [the level of Gianluigi] Donnarumma and Manuel Neuer and Alisson. We're talking some of the best of the best.

"He's developing at a rapid pace, and I think eventually he will be one of the best, if he isn't this year.

"If they win the Premier League, and they win the Champions League, he will be the best goalkeeper, that's a fact.

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"The thing I like about him is that he's consistent, and he doesn't have a weakness. He does everything well."

Keown added: "With the ball at his feet, he could almost play central midfield. He's so calm in possession.

"The balls he plays out to the wings, he can just clip it into midfield, that range of passing.

"He can pass the ball brilliantly. It's never a problem when you give it to him.

"When he first came, I was a little bit nervous, and he was taking quite a lot of risks, but he seems now to get the balance right."

'This is his moment'

Arteta made a couple of changes to the team for the Bournemouth clash, some of which were enforced through injury.

And with Riccardo Calafiori sidelined, Arteta opted to utilise Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back with Piero Hincapie starting on the bench.

It marked Lewis-Skelly's second league start of the season, the teenager having been used sparingly by Arteta this season.

When asked whether the 19-year-old was playing for his future, Hargreaves said: "No, I don't think so. He's a brilliant player.

"Last season, I think he just surprised everybody because of his ability and composure in big moments."

Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal applauds the fans after the Carabao Cup Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on March 22, 2026 in London, England.

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Hargreaves then assessed the competition for the left-back spot at the Emirates, continuing: "Calafiori's a fantastic player, 23. Lewis-Skelly's obviously a lot younger, less experienced.

"Hincapie has come in and done a brilliant job. I know he's a centre-back, but he can play as a left-back as well.

"The only thing he's lacked this season is really an opportunity, but that's just because they've got such a brilliant squad and I think Myles will be just fine.

"Last season, he was brilliant. This season he's had to watch a little bit more, but hopefully he's learning while he's watching."

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Former Arsenal defender Keown, meanwhile, said: "When he's come in, obviously this is just his second start of the Premier League season, he's looked a bit short on pace, hasn't looked match ready, and that suggests to me that maybe in training he needs to do a little bit more.

"I think this time you're going to see a different player because he's had a bit of a build up, he's trained harder.

"You could take that backwards step a little bit when you come into the first team initially. How you react, it's not an easy one sometimes because you're in the team, and the adulation, so let's see what he's made of now.

"There's a great player under the surface, he just needs to come out.

"Defensively, he's going to be tested today, so we'll see how hard he's worked in training for this moment.

"This is his moment now to produce for the group."

Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cups, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

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