Chelsea remain favourite to sign Declan Rice from West Ham in the summer transfer window.
According to reports from Eurosport, Rice is open to the idea of leaving West Ham this summer despite the fact the Hammers will play in the Europa League next season.
The likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea have all been linked to the midfielder, and Rice is interested in joining a Champions League side.
An excerpt from the report:
“Sources close to the player believe his head has been turned and that he is interested in pursuing a move to a bigger club.”
It would be really difficult for big clubs to lure Rice away from the London club because of the money involved.
The 22-year-old is arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, and he is playing for the Three Lions in the Euro championships.
It has been claimed that Hammers do not want to lose Rice. He is a key player for David Moyes and the club want to build a strong team involving him.
The club believe he is now worth more than the £70m they valued him at last year, and it’s hard to see the likes of Liverpool or City paying that amount of money on him when they need reinforcement elsewhere.
In the case of Liverpool, the club do need a new midfielder following the departure of Gini Wijnaldum. However, the Reds are highly unlikely to spend above £70m for the West Ham talisman.
Chelsea are in a position to match his transfer fee and wages, with Rice looking for in advance of £150,000-a-week wages if he moves clubs.
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