West Ham United star Declan Rice has been told to snub Chelsea and other Premier League transfer interest in favour of becoming a 'hero' in east London.
Rice, 23, unsurprisingly seems to be the main topic for Blues fans ahead of the summer transfer window alongside Aurelien Tchouameni with many torn on who would best be suited for Thomas Tuchel.
West Ham's number 41 has been speaking about many things recently in Gary Neville's Overlap series and the questions about his future have not died down one bit.
The 23-year-old has already inadvertently labelled Chelsea as a perfect potential destination amongst the other Premier League elite due to his ambitions to win trophies as his career progresses and the west Londoners have shown that with their recent achievement in Abu Dhabi in becoming European and World Champions.
"I think the main one for me as I have always said it is that I don't want to have a career where I've not won [anything]," Rice admitted to Gary Neville on the Overlap.
"I've grown up as a kid and saw players like yourself [Neville] win the Premier Leagues and Champions Leagues. Me, as a football fan and also as a player, I want to win the best stuff.
"I want to win the Premier League and lift that trophy, I want to win the Champions Leagues and the FA Cups and the League Cups and even the stuff with England, I want to win it all.
"As a footballer, If you haven't got that ambition then why are you playing?
"They are the best moments of your life when you win those types of trophies, them special days even though I haven't won anything yet but the thought of what that day would be like, the night after, I want to experience that feeling of winning those big trophies.
"And the only way to do that is to be the best I can be."
This admission understandably made Hammers fans feel somewhat nervous but they can take comfort in the fact that silverware may be heading back to the London Stadium this term with David Moyes' side still going strong in the FA Cup and Europa League respectively.
If they were to win something this season, this could indeed be enough for Rice to stay put past the summer as his needs will then be satisfied.
However, if another season was to go by without any silverware, then the 23-year-old could yet be on the move to one of the top clubs in English football with Man United also a known admirer as they look to sort out their midfield woes in the summer amid Paul Pogba's uncertain future.
A prospect that lifelong Hammers fan Russell Brand would hate to see as he told talkSPORT that he hopes Rice follows his 'heart' by remaining in Claret and Blue.
Remember, Brand is a well known fan of the club shown by his passionate kiss on the cheek of Sam Allardyce all those years ago in a post match interview after a big 2-1 win over Man City back in 2014.
“Don’t go, Declan. Stay, be the Trevor Brooking of our time," he said.
“Don’t go the route of everyone, stay with the heart, become a hero.
“We know Chelsea was your first love – and it’s obvious they’re going to come calling.
“But we love you more. You can be everything to us. You’ve done your tutelage at the feet of Mark Noble, be his apprentice.
“Be everything. Be Devonshire, McAvennie, Di Canio, all rolled into one!
“Stay Declan, we love you!”
Brand's wish may become true with just how Karen Brady and co view the situation at this current moment with none at the top contemplating an exit for Mark Noble's supposed heir.
football.london understands that Chelsea are long-term admirers of Rice, who is a name on their midfield shortlist alongside Monaco's Tchouameni.
However, football.london also understands that as far as the Hammers are concerned, nothing has changed and Rice is not for sale at any price.
