'He's here': Declan Rice sends four-word message to 'powerful' striker who has been linked with Arsenal

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has now sent a message to a striker who the club are said to have been following for some time.

Both Rice and Bukayo Saka will currently be recovering from an exhausting night playing for England, both physically and mentally.

Gareth Southgate saw it necessary for the Arsenal duo to play the whole 120 minutes against Slovakia in England’s 2-1 win.

Saka became Southgate’s utility man during all of the drama, and Rice played a lot of the game as a one-man midfield.

Of course, both will be raring to go again on Saturday against Switzerland in England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final.

And although there will again be some ill-advised calls for Saka to be dropped, both should keep their starting spot.

That being said, Arsenal have been linked with a host of players in the England squad this summer, explaining the strength of Southgate’s options.

Crystal Palace pair Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze have both been linked with a move to north London.

But perhaps Arsenal’s most famed interest is in Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

Declan Rice sends message to Arsenal linked striker Ivan Toney after England heroics

It remains to be seen if Arsenal’s interest in Toney has cooled, with Edu and Mikel Arteta currently playing their cards very close to their chest.

But if it was Rice’s choice whether Arsenal signed Toney or not, it seems like the 28-year-old would be swiftly on his way to the Emirates.

READ MORE: Fabrizio Romano says £120m player wants to leave and come to England after Arsenal links

Rice has a great friendship with the ‘powerful’ striker, who played an important role off of the bench in England’s comeback against Slovakia on Sunday.

That being said, Toney took to Instagram after the win to celebrate England’s progression and his own involvement in the comeback.

Toney shared a collection of five photos from the night in Germany along with a caption of: “Big character shown by the boys! Great feeling to make my tournament debut! On to the quarters we go!”

Both Rice and Jude Bellingham left their replies to Toney, evidently delighted with his impact in the game.

And when leaving his regards, Rice simply wrote: “He’s here, my brother”, with a selection of emojis.

Could Ivan Toney be Arsenal’s Niclas Fullkrug?

As stated, Arsenal’s interest may have slightly cooled in Toney this summer, explaining their Benjamin Sesko pursuit.

But given Toney’s unwavering confidence and impact against Slovakia – would Arsenal be making a mistake?

It seems almost guaranteed that Toney will score more Premier League goals than any current Arsenal striker next season should he stay at Brentford.

That’s no slight on Kai Havertz, who offers so much more with his game than just goals.

But given how well Havertz is dovetailing with Niclas Fullkrug with Germany at the Euros – should Arsenal be seeking a similar recipe?

With respect, introducing Gabriel Jesus for Havertz, if he’s failing to score, is akin to more of the same.

Whereas, introducing a player like Toney, a genuine goal-scorer, would be a true weapon for Arteta off the bench to change a game.