Declan Rice is running out of steam, leaving Tuchel a midfield conundrum

<p>England mainstay is flagging after six years of nonstop action, but finding a solution to his absence is no easy task</p><p>A freak of nature is Aaron Cresswell’s description of Declan Rice. The former West Ham left-back marvels at Rice’s ability to keep going. “He can play six or seven games a week,” Cresswell says of his old West Ham teammate. “God knows how many he’s played in the last few years.”</p><p>The answer is 360 since the start of the 2020-21 season. The schedule has been relentless for the England midfielder. He was vital for West Ham when they had deep European runs in 2022 and 2023, was a mainstay for Gareth Southgate’s England and has been no less influential for Arsenal’s Premier League and Champions League endeavours since joining them three years ago.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/19/world-cup-england-rice-out-of-steam-tuchel-midfield-dilemma">Continue reading...</a>