Declan Rice’s future has been updated in a recent Daily Mail story. Manchester United is interested in the West Ham United midfielder, but it appears that they may have heavy competition from rival Premier League giants Chelsea.
According to the source, the player himself wants a move to Chelsea, having previously played for the club’s academy throughout his formative career. Rice might return to the west London club, but allowing a transfer for the Englishman would require the Blues to unload star midfielder N’Golo Kante.
Rice, a London native, was released from the Chelsea academy when he was 14 years old. Following that, he thrived in the West Ham academy before breaking into the Premier League. At the age of 23, the midfielder has already made over 150 Premier League matches.
Rice is largely considered as one of the Premier League’s top defensive midfielders, frequently garnering high praise for his defensive work rate and efficient passing of the ball. As Manchester United prepares for life without Paul Pogba, he has become a perfect target.
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The Frenchman’s contract at Old Trafford ends at the end of the season, and he is said to be in talks with PSG. Manchester United is willing to let him leave by bringing in a star player like Rice. However, with Chelsea also interested in his services, we may be in for an exciting tale.
As previously stated, Chelsea may have to transfer Kante if Rice is to be included in the first-team setup. And, while it would have been impossible two or three years ago, it will not be shocking to see Thomas Tuchel persuaded, given that the Frenchman is getting older. The same can be said for Jorginho, which is why the Blues have been linked with bids for younger players like Frenkie de Jong.
West Ham, for their part, has demanded a stunning £100 million fee, which might go a long way toward assisting David Moyes in reshaping his squad in the summer. The Hammers recently expressed their intention to make a bold move for Leeds United starlet Kalvin Phillips, but their £55 million bid was reportedly rejected by the Whites. It will be fascinating to see if they can return with a better offer in the summer if the Rice deal is approved.
