The wide consensus was that Chelsea’s interest in Declan Rice ended with Frank Lampard’s sacking. However, said interest might have been rekindled by Lamps' substitute. A report from the Telegraph claims that Tuchel has grown to be a fan of Rice himself, and the player will be recommended to the board during discussions regarding the upcoming transfer window this summer.
The England international’s price is now said to have risen to £90m, from the £70m tag set last summer. West Ham are still intent on keeping hold of Rice, hoping that the prospect of Europa League next season will entice the 22-year-old to stay. But with the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United also interested in him, and being able to offer Champions League football, that appears to be a difficult position for the Hammers.
If Chelsea are truly keen on Rice, they could try using striker Tammy Abraham as a makeweight in a potential deal to bring Rice back to Stamford Bridge, with the Hammers reportedly having an interest in the centre-forward. The Blues could also use midfielder Ross Barkley to sweeten a transfer for Rice, as the Hammers also have an interest in the Aston Villa loanee.
Should Chelsea fail to sign Rice, the cheaper alternatives that the club reportedly have in mind are Aurelian Tchouameni of AS Monaco, and Julian Weigl of SL Benfica, with the latter already having played for Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund.
Tuchel revives Chelsea's interest in Declan Rice #cfc #whufc https://t.co/NcktLdKhqR
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) May 22, 2021