Transfer Centre

West Ham United's Declan Rice 'wants Chelsea move'

By Ben Knapton, Senior ReporterPublished: 20 July 2021 8:09 AM

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is reportedly keen to seal a return to former club Chelsea this summer, and the Blues are ready to make an approach.

West Ham United lynchpin Declan Rice reportedly has his sights set on a return to Chelsea in the summer window.

The England international is alleged to have rejected two contract offers from the Hammers, who are understood to be preparing a new-and-improved offer.

David Moyes's side would reportedly demand a figure of £80m to sell Rice should he voice a desire to leave, and journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the 22-year-old is indeed keen to seal a return to Chelsea, whom he represented as a youth player until 2013.

Speaking to The Football Terrace podcast, Jones said: "Let's call it an informal enquiry. Chelsea are definitely going to go to West Ham and say 'what's it going to take?'

"They're going to do it because they want to know. Even if they don't decide to pursue it after that point, they need to get the ball rolling, they need to know how possible it is and they know that the player wants to come."

Manchester United have also been tipped to move for Rice, who still has just under three years left to run on his existing deal at the London Stadium.

The former Chelsea youth product scored two goals and set up one more in 32 Premier League games last term, and he started every game for England en route to the Euro 2020 final.