Chelsea could sign their own 'Casemiro' by securing one key midfield transfer from a Premier League rival club.
The Blues are in desperate need of midfield reinforcements, given the injury concerns surrounding N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, along with a number of key players' contracts set to expire next summer. Frenkie de Jong was a long-term target throughout the summer transfer window, but Chelsea were unable to convince the player to swap Barcelona for west London.
The Blues have struggled in the first half of the season and head into the World Cup break in eighth place in the Premier League table. Chelsea may be able to sign their own world-class midfielder that operates at a similar level to the likes of City's Rodri, Manchester United's Casemiro and Barca legend Sergio Busquets.
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Former City striker Sergio Aguero believes United and Chelsea transfer target Declan Rice is at the 'same level' as Busquets, Rodri and Casemiro. In an interview with Stake, Aguero said: "For me, he [Rice] is a great player and is at the same level as the best midfielders like Busquets, Rodri and Casemiro.
"It seems to me that he is valued. What happens is that with him not being in a 'Big Six' team, he does not get talked about as much.
"But he has proven himself, and I think he is one of the strengths of the England team at the World Cup."
Rice is currently in Qatar with England as they prepare for the World Cup, and City legend Aguero has praised Gareth Southgate's squad. The former Argentinian striker added: "I think they [England fans] have a team to get excited about.
"They could not win the Euro, but they showed in that tournament that they are a team to be feared. I know they have had some losses in defence, but they have replacements and also a mix of young players already established, like Foden, Mount, Declan Rice, Rashford, Bellingham and Saka, with others with more experience like Sterling, Henderson and Kane."
Rice has been a long-term target for the Blues, and Mason Mount has always endorsed the club making a move for his close friend after the west Londoners initially let the midfielder leave as a youngster. The England international could bump his transfer value up with a strong performance at the World Cup ahead of a potential return to Stamford Bridge next year.
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