Make him captain to win the EPL - Arsenal legend tells Arteta to give armband to another player

One former Arsenal captain have urged Arteta to take a difficult but necessary decision by stripping Odegaard of the captain's armband.

Arsenal legend Tony Adams has urged Mikel Arteta to make a tough call, by naming a new captain for his side in order to lift the Premier League.

Tony Adams, himself a former captain of the Gunners during Arsene Wenger’s reign played a pivotal role, as the North London side lifted the Premier League on four occasions during the club’s glory years.

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A rock-solid centreback in his days, the now 58-year-old spent his entire 19-year career with the Gunners, winning 3 FA Cups, 2 Carling Cups and other laurels, earning the nickname ‘Mr Arsenal’.    

The former defender is of the opinion that Mikel Arteta’s side cannot win the Premier League with Martin Odegaard as skipper. 

Tony Adams names who should be new Arsenal captain

In the last three seasons, Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have played second fiddle, twice to Manchester City and recently to Liverpool. However, Tony Adams believes all that can change if Arsenal replace Odegaard as captain.

Adams urged Arteta to strip Martin Odegaard of the armband and give it to £105m signing from West Ham Declan Rice, as this will give the former a bit more freedom to play his game.

He said: “He's got a really big call to make this year and for me he hasn't done it. The call is to make Declan Rice the captain. I think Declan is my kind of captain, and it might free Odegaard up to play with a bit more freedom.”

“Every now and again as a manager, you have to put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level.” 

Why should Rice become Arsenal's new captain? - Adams provides answer

The former Arsenal skipper provided a clever answer when he was further quizzed if he believes that Declan Rice is a winner while Mikel Arteta is not.

“I'm just saying he's got an opportunity this year to actually turn into a winner. To win league titles, you have to be a [Jurgen] Klopp, you have to be a [Sir Alex] Ferguson. You have to lead by example, you have to be a winner, you have to go about your business. And that reflects in your captain.

“And I'm seeing Declan Rice as a captain but I'm saying to Arteta: "Come on, step up now. It's your time to be a winning manager and a fantastic manager, because you're not going to win the league with Odegaard as captain,” Tony Adam said.

The 4x-Premier League winner stressed that Rice’s leadership which he exemplified at West Ham when he led the Hammers to a first European title will be a game changer for Arteta’s side, something he doesn’t believe Odegaard has.  

“You've got someone in there who's going to play every game all season, that's going to encourage people to come in and lay the foundations of a title-winning team. Declan Rice can do that, Odegaard can't. Come on Arteta, make him captain.”  

Interestingly, former Liverpool star and ex-Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson had urged the captain’s armband to go to Rice, after Odegaard’s shambolic performance in Arsenal’s 0-1 defeat to PSG in the Champions League semifinal back in May 2025.

It remains to be seen if Mikel Arteta would respond to Tony Adams' advice or stick to his guns. Arsenal kick off their Premier League campaign on Sunday, August 17th away to bitter rivals Manchester United.