Liverpool and Chelsea will have to shell out at least €100 million if they are to acquire the services of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice.
As per Spanish outlet Fichajes, Liverpool and Chelsea have been linked with a move for Declan Rice. But they will have to break the bank for the English midfielder. It is suggested the West Ham United captain has a price tag of €100 million.
Liverpool added another player to their arsenal, as they have agreed to a transfer with PSV Eindhoven for Cody Gakpo, who will arrive at Anfield in January. The Reds have managed to put a brake to their initial sufferings in the Premier League, as a commanding win over Aston Villa took them within one point of Manchester United, who will take Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
Liverpool are now about to enter the most tricky part of the season as a number of midfielders, including James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appear set to leave the club next summer. And Rice has emerged as a top target for the Merseyside outfit.
For Chelsea, the idea is to bring at least two top-quality midfielders amid uncertainty hovering over the futures of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho. Both the players have not been at their required level and are on the verge of securing an exit from Stamford Bridge. And recent reports have suggested that Chelsea are the front-runners to sign Rice.
The English international already has turned down a number of offers from West Ham United to extend his contract. And the Hammers have now given in to the possibility of selling their star player, who looks set for a summer departure.
It is not clear whether the club will trigger the one-year option in his contract to add some leverage to the deal. But they will unlikely entertain bidders in January unless they are receiving an enormous offer. So Chelsea and Liverpool need to pay €100 million to sign Rice.
The 23-year-old recently spoke of his desire to play in the UEFA Champions League and also reiterated his ambition to ply his trade in the top tier of European football. Liverpool still have a chance to finish in the top four. But given Chelsea’s recent form, they have a tough task at hand. Rice’s price might drop in the next summer, but West Ham remain defiant in their €100 million valuation of the player.