Real Madrid will reportedly compete with Arsenal, Chelsea, and others in the race to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United.
Gianluca Di Marzio has told Soccernews.nl that Declan Rice features on the radar of Real Madrid. Los Blancos will compete with Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United for the English international. And the West Ham captain has a market value of around €80 million.
Di Marzio said, “When Arsenal and Manchester United watch a player, it is always a possibility that Chelsea will intervene. They may not be concrete yet, but that can change just like that. Chelsea is like a ghost that follows every footballer and can appear just like that. So it just depends on what the strategy of the interested clubs is.”
“But I think Manchester United and Arsenal would also be good destinations for him. And maybe we can even add Real Madrid to that list. Carlo Ancelotti is a big fan of his qualities. So you should never forget to mention Real Madrid, for the simple reason that Carlo Ancelotti likes Declan Rice.”
Declan Rice has been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League since breaking into the West Ham United first team. A former trainee of the Chelsea academy, the 23-year-old has turned out over 200 times thus far for the Hammers. The English international is also a pivotal figure for the Three Lions while replacing Mark Noble as the West Ham captain.
But Rice’s long-term future at West Ham is uncertain amid the Hammers’ struggles this season. And such a situation has captured the attention of Arsenal and Chelsea. Both London clubs will enter the market for a midfield reinforcement this year.
Mikel Arteta wants to bolster Arsenal’s midfield unit to reach Manchester City’s levels. On the other hand, Graham Potter will seek a replacement for Jorginho, who might leave Chelsea as a free agent. But Real Madrid’s entry into the equation complicates matters for the two London clubs.
Real Madrid will seek long-term successors to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos this year. And while Rice will not be a like-for-like replacement for either midfielder, he can reprise their roles. The English international can thus be an alternative to another top Real Madrid target, Manuel Locatelli.
Di Marzio has also mentioned Manchester United as a prospective suitor. Meanwhile, recent reports have claimed that Rice is considering joining Arsenal instead of Chelsea. But Real Madrid can afford to pay €80 million, his market value, although it will be interesting to see how much West Ham will demand.
