Frank Leboeuf urges Chelsea to sign West Ham United star Declan Rice. (imago Images)
According to a report by Sun (h/t The Daily Mail), West Ham United are planning to make a third new contract offer for Declan Rice in hopes of using added funds to tie down the Chelsea transfer target.
The defensive midfielder, who can double up as a centre-back, is on the radar of Manchester United and Chelsea. But the Hammers want to offer him a better deal in hopes of keeping him at the London Stadium.
While their previous two offers were turned by the 22-year-old Englishman, the Hammers now have added money in their kitty with the imminent sale of Felipe Anderson to Lazio.
The Brazilian winger joined West Ham in 2018 for a £42million transfer fee, but after a disappointing stay, is on his way back to the Rome-based club. That would free up his £100,000-a-week wages on West Ham’s books.
And they could utilize that money to make a lucrative enough offer for Rice, in what looks like a blow for Thomas Tuchel. But the transfer fee could be bloated, as David Moyes, in an interview with Sky Sports (h/t The Daily Mail) in March 2021, stated Rice’s worth to be beyond the 9-figure mark.
“I don’t agree with the owners that Declan Rice is a £100million footballer. Far, far more than £100m. Far more. I look at the players who have joined some clubs from overseas and come in and nowhere near had the impact Declan Rice would have.”
The Blues fans would hope that Rice turns down a third straight deal in a row and can join up with their squad for next season. He can play in midfield as well as in defence, which would add great depth to Chelsea’s squad.
The club does have N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, and Mateo Kovacic in midfield. However, at 22, Rice can be a long-term successor to either one of them, depending on who leaves first in the future.
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