Chelsea are preparing a move for West Ham's stand-in captain Declan Rice, according to fresh reports.
It has long been suggested that Chelsea and manager Frank Lampard have identified the 21-year-old Hammer as a potential replacement for French international Kurt Zouma, who has struggled to hold down a first team place at Stamford Bridge.And following Rice's exceptional performance against Chelsea last week, in which the midfielder captained the Hammers to an unexpected yet most welcome 3-2 victory, Lampard is reported to have pinpointed the England international as a key target this summer.
Speaking about Rice ahead of last week's 3-2 defeat, Lampard revealed that he had been keeping a close eye on the player's development. "Declan Rice is a good player," he said.
"I’ve known him for a long time, he was in Chelsea’s academy, but there’s no talk. I will keep saying that about every player until these games and this season are finished. There’s nothing to say."
Rated somewhere around the £50million mark, Rice has emerged as one of the country's finest young players - although Chelsea, who are reported (The Times) to see him as a long-term successor to John Terry, are not the only club keeping a close eye on developments.
Manchester United have also been linked with a potential move for the Hammer, who has clocked up a total of 105 appearances in a West Ham shirt since moving to the club, from Chelsea, at the age of 15.
This season he has been almost ever-present for West Ham, having made 35 appearances in all competitions while also featuring on four occasions for Gareth Southgate's England.
Speaking at the time of his arrival at West Ham five years ago, Rice declared his love for the club. "I really love West Ham and the people who look after me here are very good," he said. "I wouldn't think about going anywhere else, this is the club [for me]."
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