Steven Gerrard says he ‘wishes’ Liverpool had signed Declan Rice ahead of Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side won the race to sign Rice in the summer of 2023 with the midfielder joining from West Ham in a £105 million deal.

Liverpool, meanwhile, were about to embark on their final season under Jurgen Klopp, who left Anfield the following summer.

Rice has established himself as a key figure in Arsenal’s midfield and is on track for a successful campaign as the Gunners are still in all four competitions.

The England international scored a superb goal in Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night, and former Liverpool captain Gerrard feels the 27-year-old has now cemented his place as one of the world’s elite midfielders.

‘He’s going from strength to strength,’ Gerrard told TNT Sports.

‘I think he’s one of the best in the world. I think he has become one of the best in the world.

‘It was a fantastic move for him. I wish we [Liverpool] signed him here, actually.

‘West Ham did a great job under David Moyes, I think David Moyes has really schooled him in how to play the position tactically.

‘His confidence from playing well for England and being around that group of players, he’s just gone to the next level now at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.

‘Fantastic coaching from him and he’s up there now in the shout to be one of the world’s best in that position and in that role.’

Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman added: ‘I think when you think of his role and you look around Europe, you have Pedri who is beautiful, Vitinha is great, but he way he [Rice] plays I’d certainly say he’s the best because he’s a different type of player to them.

‘But he’s so effective, last year he was amazing and he’s stepped up again this year.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Manchester United in ‘advanced talks’ to sign £69m Newcastle star after Casemiro recommendation

MORE: Barcelona send new request to Manchester United over £26m Marcus Rashford transfer

MORE: Mohamed Salah injury update after Liverpool beat Galatasaray in Champions League

Jurgen Klopp has been out of club management since leaving Liverpool in 2024 and has made clear what any side must prioritise to entice him

Ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has previously stated he would not take charge of a football club where commercial considerations take precedence. The 58-year-old has been away from club management since leaving Anfield in 2024.

During his nearly nine-year tenure in Liverpool, Klopp won a handful of trophies. He chose to walk away from his role as head coach almost two years ago after a third-place league finish and was replaced by Arne Slot.

Since his departure, speculation about a return to management has been constant, whilst he currently serves as Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer. It has also emerged that prior to his appointment at Anfield, clubs including Manchester United and Real Madrid allegedly attempted to secure his services without success.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Whilst the prospect of the German returning to coaching remains open, he has been emphatic that any club he takes over must not prioritise commercial interests excessively or permit excessive interference from those above. This stance may well have derailed United’s rumoured previous attempts to recruit him.

Speaking in 2018 about why he chose to join Liverpool, Klopp said: “I love the history. I really am a football romantic. I knew I probably can help. They maybe really need me, in this time. I know what I’m good at.

“When they told me about the problems they had I thought, ‘OK, yeah, I am probably the really right manager for that club’. They took me like I am, they didn’t ask me to do anything else, so I could focus from the first day completely on football.

“It is a football club. A FOOTBALL club. I had talks with other clubs and they didn’t sound like a football club. It sounded like marketing, image, you need to sign this, you need to sign that. And I thought, ‘Wow, that’s not the game I love’.”

Just 12 months on, Robbie Fowler revealed details of a conversation with Klopp, exposing alleged approaches from United, as well as his core principles. Fowler said: “I did an interview with him a couple of years ago and he told me he turned down a couple of super-rich clubs after Dortmund – one was definitely Manchester United and the other was probably Real Madrid.

“Because he hated how they were focused solely on commercial influences. He said he liked Liverpool because they had a balance between the money needed to reach the top and the history and identity of the club and their fans.”

These requirements are already established for any team that might seek to recruit Klopp for a managerial role in future. However, the German has insisted he will never take charge of another English club apart from Liverpool.

In 2024, he declared: “What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent. That’s not possible. My love for this club, my respect for the people, is too big. I couldn’t. I couldn’t for a second think about it. There’s no chance. This is part of my life, we are part of the family, we feel at home here. There’s no chance to do that.”

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get Sky Sports here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky shows at least 215 live Premier League games each season, an increase of up to 100, plus Formula 1, darts, golf and more.

Michael Carrick aims to maintain his unbeaten run during this tenure as Manchester United manager when his team heads to Everton next week

Michael Carrick and Manchester United are benefiting from an extended spell without fixtures after their early exit from the FA Cup. Following their elimination under Darren Fletcher’s stewardship, United found themselves without a match over the weekend.

Attention turns instead to their upcoming Premier League encounter against Everton. By the time they return to action, United will have had 13 days since their 1-1 stalemate with West Ham.

Carrick will be aiming to extend his unbeaten streak, having overseen five matches without defeat thus far, including victories over Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham. Currently, he holds the position until the campaign’s conclusion, but his brilliant beginning has already sparked considerable demands for his appointment beyond the summer.

One manager who has been suggested as a potential successor is Luis Enrique. However, the prospect of his arrival has now been dismissed by a club legend. The Manchester Evening News delivers the latest developments from Old Trafford.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

Luis Enrique prospect dismissed

United legend Wayne Rooney was questioned about who he’d prefer to see permanently replace Amorim and he backed Carrick. The England icon also downplayed the influence a manager such as PSG boss Enrique would bring.

“I think with Luis Enrique, I’ve been there and we’ve tried different managers. We tried [Jose] Mourinho and [Louis] van Gaal,” said Rooney on The Overlap Fan Debate.

“Then we tried the likes of [Erik] ten Hag and [Ruben] Amorim and they don’t work. I just think Carrick makes sense. I felt that from the minute I knew he was going in.

“He’s a real calming influence. I think we’re sometimes quick to overlook what’s right here in front of us and say, ‘We’ve got this manager from Turkey or Spain who is going to come in and do this.’

“But actually they’ve got no interest in the football club. At least this will give the foundations for the club to keep building. The infrastructure will be back at the football club.”

Club responds to Jurgen Klopp claims

Elsewhere on the managerial front, the representative of former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made a bombshell claim on Monday, suggesting that both Chelsea and United approached the German following his departure from Anfield.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

Klopp departed in 2024 following a silverware-filled eight-year spell. His representative, Marc Kosicke, now alleges that both the London side and United subsequently sounded out Klopp.

However, sources tell MEN Sport that the club has dismissed claims of approaching Klopp. United rejected the suggestion they ever made contact with the manager either directly or via a third party. Chelsea are also understood to have issued a denial.

Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£49

£35

Sky

Get Sky Sports here

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.