Chelsea are reportedly best positioned to sign Declan Rice as he enters the final 18 months of his West Ham contract.
With the midfielder having rejected three offers to extend his stay at London Stadium, a battle for his signature is set to re-commence between the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City as we approach the January transfer window. The Premier League trio have registered interest in recent years, but it's the Blues who remain ahead in the race to sign him.
A fresh report from The Athletic detailing Rice's precarious situation at West Ham outlines how Chelsea are in pole position thanks to various factors. The 23-year-old's affiliation with Stamford Bridge is well documented, having spent the best part of a decade at the club as a youngster before being released aged 14.
Former Blues boss Frank Lampard was notably enamoured with Rice, so much so that Chelsea's board allegedly grew frustrated with his pleas to bring the England star back to west London and factored his feelings into their decision to sack him in January 2021. His successor, Thomas Tuchel, was less interested in a move but Graham Potter is looking to revamp his midfield.
With Stamford Bridge stalwarts Jorginho and N'Golo Kante set to depart when their contracts expire at the end of the season, owner Todd Boehly is ready to splash out on new midfielders, with Jude Bellingham joining Rice as a top target. The Blues are also said to be concerned over the prospect of losing Rice to United or City, who bolstered their midfields last summer but retain an interest in the West Ham captain.
It's claimed that Rice, who turns 24 in January, has no desire to sign a new deal with the Irons - although the club can trigger a one-year extension until June 2025 - and he's desperate to play Champions League football, an ambition which he outlined during the World Cup. "100 per cent, I want to play in the Champions League," the Three Lions ace declared.
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"For the last two or three years, I've been saying that. I've been playing consistently well for my club and I feel like I really want to keep pushing. I see my friends here (in the England squad) who are playing Champions League and for big trophies."
That, of course, puts pressure on Chelsea to secure a top-four finish this season. While City are all but certain to qualify for Europe's first-rate competition, United are aiming to do the same in the hope that it will strengthen their hand. Boss Erik ten Hag recently warned his Premier League rivals that he isn't the only manager under pressure in the Champions League race, even name-dropping Chelsea's predicament.
"I accept how it is, I accept that pressure," Ten Hag affirmed this week. "But also for the manager of Chelsea, of Newcastle United, those clubs who have invested a lot in their squad. It's big pressure for all of us to get into the top four. We want to be in the top four and fighting for trophies. That's our aim."
