Caicedo vs Rice: Who is the Premier League's Best Midfielder Right Now?
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Caicedo vs Rice: Who is the Premier League's Best Midfielder Right Now?

Caicedo vs Rice: Who is the Premier League's Best Midfielder Right Now?

Messi vs Ronaldo. Federer vs Nadal. Ali vs Foreman. In sport more than anywhere else, historic rivalries are forged. Compared against each other down to the most minute details, clashes between these storied icons have become etched in stone, and have spurred them concerned to never-before-seen heights, producing Oscar-worthy drama in the process.

And now it seems that another potentially generational duel appears to be unfolding before our very eyes - at the beating heart of London’s two biggest clubs, Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice are duking it out to earn the moniker of “best in the league”.

Talk of a battle for supremacy between the two started when both arrived at their current sides in the summer of 2023, and for similarly gargantuan sums of money.

Englishman Rice was touted for the top long before Arsenal splashed £100 million on the former West Ham player, while Caicedo required just over 50 Premier League games at Brighton before Chelsea came knocking in 2023, splurging an even more eye-watering £115 million on the Ecuadorian.

However, it is far from an overstatement when I say that both players have made those stupendous costs look like bargains. Vital to the way their respective sides operate, neither Arsenal nor Chelsea are anywhere near the same side without their midfield enforcers as they are with them.

Both have made monstrous starts to the new campaign - Rice has bullied Arsenal to the top of the league ahead of the October international break, while Caicedo seems to get better with every passing week. Their similarly dominant performances open up a fascinating debate - of the two players, which would you rather have? Or put more simply, who is better?

Caicedo vs Rice: The Numbers

Before we dive in, I would like to preface this article by saying my personal choice is Caicedo - as a Chelsea fan, you can accuse me of bias all you like, but every time I watch him play, I am viscerally grateful that he plays for us and not a rival club.

So, with that ticked off the list, how do the two stack up in their respective Chelsea/Arsenal careers so far?

Well, Rice certainly got off to a better start. Slotting in as if he was made for Mikel Arteta’s system at the Emirates, Rice had a wonderful first season in red, netting seven times and assisting nine more, all while doing his best impression of the Berlin Wall - you know there is something on the other side, but you’ll never know because you’ll never get there.

Prior to 2023/24, his best output came the season prior, when he managed five goals and four assists - with better players around him in North London, Rice’s game was given the chance to truly shine.

Certainly he shone more than Caicedo. The Ecuadorian gave away a penalty in defeat to West Ham on his debut, and a string of errors and poor performances saw him being labelled as the biggest waste of money in Premier League history by December. However, it seemed as if the festive period gave Caicedo a much-needed opportunity to reset, because something clicked.

Gone was the nervy, edgy, unreliable Caicedo that dived in recklessly and played hospital passes - in his place was the man Chelsea paid the GDP of Tuvalu for (mental right?).

Though he only notched four goal contributions in his first season in West London, it was worth the wait. On the final matchday of the season, Caicedo nestled an absolute peach into the top corner against Brighton - oh, should I also mention it was from the centre circle?

Speaking of goal involvements, Rice comfortably has Caicedo’s number there. Over the course of two and a bit seasons with the Gunners, the ‘defensive’ midfielder has found the net 17 times, and has laid it on a plate for his teammates on a further 21 occasions. For context, Rice scored two fewer goals for West Ham in 132 more appearances.

Caicedo, by comparison, is totally outstripped by his English counterpart - in the same period of time, the South American has found the net six times, and only assisted eight. However, it must be said that three of these goals have come in his last nine games. And more importantly, whenever Caicedo does find the net, jaws tend to hit the floor.

A halfway line vs Brighton, a superb technical volley vs Man United, a long-distance finish in the Conference League final against Betis, and now screamers against both Brentford and Liverpool this season - whenever Caicedo shoots, it’s worth sitting forward in your seat just that little bit more.

But so far, it seems Rice just pips Caicedo - however, if silverware is considered, it is now Caicedo’s turn to top the charts.

Last season, the Ecuadorian lifted two trophies with the Blues, these being the Conference League (which they were expected to win) and the Club World Cup (which they were definitely NOT expected to win).

Rice, for all of the quality that surrounds him, can only respond with a singular Community Shield medal for his efforts while at Arsenal, although he did also win the Conference while at West Ham.

Caicedo vs Rice: The Stats

Ok, so we’ve had a look at the surface-level stuff - now it’s time to dig in and see what these two are doing that everyone else in the league simply can’t.

Caicedo has simply been outrageous in the early kicking’s of the 2025/26 season - he boasts more tackles (28) and more interceptions (18) than anyone else in the top flights, and his blocked shots (5), recoveries (38) and duels won (46) place him in the top 7% of players in his position.

Remember the old saying “70% of the earth is covered by water, the rest is covered by Ngolo Kante”? Well, Caicedo truly is playing at that level right now, thats how good he is. Absolutely everywhere from first minute to last, I’m starting to think he has a couple of extra lungs tucked away somewhere - he is still sprinting when the full time whistle blows.

Rice’s stats are considerably less impressive - morphing into a typical central midfielder these days, his best defensive stat, blocked shots (3), only sees him place in the top 16% of midfielders. Where the Englishman shines instead is in possession.

The former Hammer sets the tempo for everything Mikel Arteta’s side does with the ball - only William Saliba averages more successful passes per 90. And while Rice may be most comfortable in the middle of the pitch, he is a force to be contended with when he finds himself in and around the penalty area. His 12 chances created are the most of anyone at the club, and in terms of expected assists, only Bukayo Saka can say that he is making higher quality opportunities than Rice at the moment.

The two are very different players occupying the same position. Thanks to their possession-heavy style, Rice is much more important and involved in the buildup than in defence, while Enzo Maresca’s higher-tempo, end-to-end Chelsea side requires a disruptor capable of running until they drop, a niche which Caicedo has made his own.

So, Who Are You Taking?

A monumentally difficult question to answer. If it were within the rules, I would take both - Caicedo would be the perfect option to hold position in front of the defence and cause chaos amongst an opponent’s frontline, while Rice would pick up possession following the Ecuadorian’s antics and make the right decision with the ball every single time.

And perhaps to complete the midfield trio, I would have Cole Palmer spearheading the midfield offensive - then again, I am a Chelsea fan, and besides, that’s not really the point of this discussion.

As I said earlier, Caicedo just takes the cake for me - his ability to be involved in the play regardless of where he is on the pitch is alien, and while Rice boasts better game intelligence and menacing creative force, Caicedo has proved that he can play a similar role on the rare occasions he does stray from the base of the midfield.

You know what you are getting with both players. Caicedo gives you the work rate of a caffeine-saturated university student working to yesterday’s deadline, while Rice offers the poise and elegance of a catwalk model in the centre of the pitch.

While both may have their issues - Caicedo offensively (to an extent), and Rice defensively (to an extent) - these weaknesses don’t lessen the impact of their strengths. Both are a titanic presence for their sides, and their managers will be keeping toes, arms, elbows and knees crossed that they stay fit - should either suffer a long-term injury, their club’s competitive ambitions would go up in flames.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Harry Pascoe

Lead Writer

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