Chelsea are weighing up a fresh bid for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, who is being valued at around £80 million.
According to Rudy Galetti, Chelsea are ready to step up their pursuit of Declan Rice. The West Ham midfielder has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for a long time now, but it appears the Premier League giants are finally ready to complete a move this summer as they weigh up a fresh bid.
West Ham United have maintained their stance of not selling Rice this summer. However, they do value the midfielder around £80 million and might be tempted to sell, should Chelsea meet the figures. The Blues were reportedly considering a bumper contract offer of £200k-a-week for Rice that would make him one of the highest-paid players at the club.
The Englishman has had a rapid rise to prominence in English football in recent years. Since his breakthrough, he has mustered 145 competitive appearances for West Ham. He even replaced Mark Noble as the club captain when the veteran was not involved, guiding the Hammers to a successful 2020/21 season that saw them clinch Europa League football.
Rice’s achievements are not restricted to club level either. In UEFA Euro 2020, he was a central figure in the midfield unit alongside Kalvin Phillips for an England side that reached the final of the coveted competition, only to lose against Italy.
Such performances have convinced Chelsea to make a new move for the midfielder this summer. It is no secret that coach Thomas Tuchel is scouring the market for new options in the middle of the park, having already shipped out Billy Gilmour on loan to Norwich City.
Rice is not the only option, though, with the Blues also reportedly interested in the services of Eduardo Camanvinga. The Rennes youngster was primarily linked with a move to Manchester United, but it appears Chelsea have joined the race as well.
In addition to Camavinga, the newly-crowned European champions are reportedly targeting Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella. But very few fit the bill as perfectly as Declan Rice. He has Premier League experienced and raw talent, as well as being a former member of the club’s youth academy.
Indeed, Rice spent seven years in Chelsea’s youth academy from 2006 to 2013 before joining West Ham. He certainly has unfinished business at Stamford Bridge, so a return to west London could be nothing short of a fairytale story for the English midfielder.