Chelsea have been interested in signing midfielder Declan Rice.
According to transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio in an interview with Wettfreunde (h/t Football.London), Real Madrid could be interested in pursuing Chelsea target Declan Rice. It is also believed that the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United have been eyeing the young West Ham United midfielder.
Rice has grown in stature ever since leaving the Chelsea academy and joining the Hammers at a young age. The 23-year-old has been a solid defensive cover and even managed to impress at the international level with England in the latest edition of The UEFA European Football Championship.
Rice and Kalvin Phillips helped create a double pivot that provided a strong shield for the Three Lions in the tournament. The 23-year-old midfielder has thus become an instrumental cog in the middle of the park for our West London rivals. Whilst there has been strong interest from top English clubs, it is now believed that Los Blancos have also entered the race. It is thought that their current manager Carlo Ancelotti greatly appreciates the talent of the English midfielder.
In conversation with Wettfreunde (h/t Football.London), Di Marzio has spoken about the possibility of Madrid chasing the 23-year-old midfielder:
“If there will be the possibility to have him (Declan Rice), Ancelotti will be in the race. I don’t know which strategy will Real Madrid will have in the future – it depends on some players staying or going. For sure, Carlo Ancelotti likes him very much. I know Carlo Ancelotti loves him (Declan Rice). Carlo Ancelotti could be the perfect coach to have him in Real Madrid. Real Madrid could be perfect for him because their coach loves him in an incredible way.”
The Blues have managed to create a suitable defensive setup at Stamford Bridge ever since Tomas Tuchel has arrived at the club. This has helped him guide the club to numerous trophies in his relatively short time as manager of Chelsea. The FIFA Club World Cup is another stellar addition to his already impressive resume.
That being considered, a barrage of injury issues to key attackers and the possibility of pivotal defensive players leaving in the summer could be a great worry for the 48-year-old manager. The former Borussia Dortmund manager would be looking for suitable reinforcements in the club. With the likes of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in their 30s, the club could do well to add another exciting midfielder in their ranks.
At 23, the English midfielder still has a lot to give and can be a great acquisition. That being said the Hammers wouldn’t want to let go of their prized asset so easily. David Moyes has been a keen admirer of the English international and has also hailed him as “a future England captain”.
This in itself speaks volumes of his potential. Rice has already played 176 matches across all competitions for the Irons across all competitions during which time he scored nine goals and provided nine assists. His ability to sniff danger and intercept through balls makes him a great asset to have in your team.
Only time can tell whether or not Rice will make his way to Stamford Bridge but even if the opportunity does provide itself, it will not be an easy task to secure his services. This pursuit seems to have become even more difficult considering the fact that Real Madrid have joined the race.
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