Chelsea have been dealt a massive blow in their pursuit of Declan Rice as West Ham United have made it clear they will not sanction a move in the winter transfer window.
As relayed by Fichajes, David Moyes insisted West Ham United will not permit Declan Rice to leave the club in the midst of the season. Chelsea remain in the front of the queue as the player has already reiterated his desire to play in the Champions League.
West Ham’s current status doesn’t really force them to change their stance on Rice. The Hammers have struggled to find consistency on the pitch and are currently dangerously hovering near the relegation zone.
The Englishman has already stamped his authority in the Premier League and has thrived in the last couple of years. Rice left the Chelsea academy in 2013 and rose through various youth levels at his current club to establish himself as one of the most sought-after midfielders in the European circuit.
Chelsea hope to secure a deal for the 23-year-old as the Blues have targeted a major overhaul over the period of the next couple of transfer windows. Both N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are set to depart next summer and Rice’s arrival should sort out the mess.
The youngster has shown his composure at the senior level and his confidence on the ball is something which is attracting plaudits from across the world.
Moyes knows the importance of the player and when being asked about the player’s future the manager answered:
“There will be no chance Declan Rice leaves in this window.
“We’ve said we’re probably not going to do much [transfer business], but that could change. I think if players left we would look to replace them but at the moment, I’ve got no indication of that.”
Chelsea will have to shift their focus elsewhere or they can wait till the summer to get the deal done. The Hammers do have a one-year extension option in the player’s contract and could use that as leverage to extract the maximum amount of fee.
