Graeme Souness has remained an outspoken critic of Declan Rice throughout much of the midfielder’s time at Arsenal, despite the widespread view that the Gunners star is one of the finest players in his position. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has now come to Rice’s defence following the latest criticism.Rice is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the game and has continued to deliver impressive performances for both club and country. That consistent form is one of the reasons England continued to rely on him during this World Cup, despite him not being fully fit.Souness maintains his criticismAt Arsenal, Rice is considered one of the club’s most dependable players after arriving for a record transfer fee. His performances have been so consistently strong that many supporters have largely forgotten the size of the investment that was required to bring him to the club.Even so, Souness has never been convinced by the midfielder and has repeatedly argued that Rice is more limited than many observers believe. Following England’s defeat in the World Cup semi-final, Souness once again reiterated his opinion after assessing Rice’s performances during the tournament.Hasselbaink backs the Arsenal midfielderAs quoted by Talk Sport, Hasselbaink defended Rice and offered a contrasting assessment of the Arsenal midfielder’s qualities. He said: “I don’t think that he’s limited. I don’t agree with Graeme. I’ve seen him from close, I’ve seen him in training, I’ve seen him in games.“I think he can be even more dominant by believing more in himself. I think he can also score more goals. I think he can shoot more at goal.“Those kinds of things can be added, but have to be put in his mind.”Hasselbaink’s comments suggest that, while there are still areas in which Rice can improve, those developments are linked to confidence and adding further dimensions to his game rather than any fundamental limitations._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink defends Declan Rice from Graeme Souness criticism18 July 2026, 14:00Arsenal misses deadline to sign prolific striker for just €40 million18 July 2026, 13:00Arsenal is preparing a first bid for World Cup defender18 July 2026, 12:00The post Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink defends Declan Rice from Graeme Souness criticism appeared first on Just Arsenal News.