# Declan Rice England squad withdrawal

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/declan-rice-england-squad-withdrawal
> Updated: 2026-09-25T13:41:26.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 3.

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice withdrew from the England squad ahead of UEFA Nations League fixtures following an injury sustained during a Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion. The withdrawal occurred after a controversial incident in which Rice received a yellow card for a kick directed at Malick Yalcouye, an action VAR classified as “petulant rather than malicious.”

England captain Harry Kane later defended Rice, stating that the player had been “struggling for a while with his issues,” including a recent hamstring concern. Kane highlighted the physical demands of the Premier League schedule as a factor in player fitness management.

Rice is now among five players to withdraw from Thomas Tuchel’s squad ahead of Nations League matches against Spain and Czechia, joining Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, and Tino Livramento. James Garner and Morgan Gibbs-White have been called up as replacements.

Amid these injury concerns, Arsenal is reportedly preparing to initiate contract renewal talks to secure Rice’s long-term future. Although his current contract runs until 2028, manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly seeking to extend his stay by an additional three seasons, potentially through 2031, to ward off interest from clubs such as Real Madrid.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-25: Declan Rice withdraws from England squad amid Arsenal contract talks

Declan Rice has withdrawn from the England squad due to injury. Meanwhile, Arsenal is reportedly planning to offer the midfielder a contract extension through 2031.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/declan-rice-withdraws-from-england-squad-amid-arsenal-contract-talks

### 2026-09-23: Harry Kane defends Declan Rice following England withdrawal

England captain Harry Kane has defended Declan Rice after the Arsenal midfielder withdrew from the national squad due to ongoing injury concerns and a demanding Premier League schedule.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/harry-kane-defends-declan-rice-following-england-withdrawal

### 2026-09-19: Declan Rice withdraws from England squad following Brighton clash

Declan Rice has withdrawn from the England squad due to injury following Arsenal's 3-0 loss to Brighton, where he narrowly avoided a red card for an off-the-ball incident.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/declan-rice-avoids-red-card-as-arsenal-suffer-3-0-defeat-to-brighton

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Cite as: Declan Rice England squad withdrawal. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/declan-rice-england-squad-withdrawal