Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has thrown his support behind Declan Rice for the PFA Player of the Year award, insisting the Arsenal star deserves it ahead of Bruno Fernandes.
Merson praised Rice for consistently delivering top performances for Arsenal across both the Premier League and Champions League this season.
“There is a big debate across the country about who should win PFA Player of the Year,” Merson wrote in his Sportskeeda column.
“But honestly, I don’t see a comparison between Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice. Bruno plays once a week, while Rice is carrying Arsenal week in and week out in the Premier League and Champions League.”
The former Arsenal player acknowledged Fernandes’ strong performances for Manchester United but maintained that Rice stands out as the more influential player this season.
“Don’t get me wrong, Fernandes is having a great season. But in my opinion, when it comes to Rice, there is no debate at all,” he added.
