In a recent report, the Sun has claimed that Chelsea are ready to table a bid of over £40m for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice before next month’s transfer deadline. It has also been stated that the Hammers are desperate to raise funds for new arrivals and could be inclined to cash in on the English talent with the Blues eager to seal a move for him during this summer transfer period (via The Sun).
Rice’s Growing Reputation At The London Stadium
The London-born midfield ace is a product of West Ham’s academy and has done well to establish himself as one of David Moyes’ top performers over the past year. Rice featured in 39 matches for the East London outfit in the previous campaign, netting one goal while providing three assists in various competitions.
The 21-year-old deserves high praise for influencing the game at both ends of the field after he averaged 3.1 tackles, 2.0 interceptions, 1.3 clearances, 0.8 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game in the 2019-20 Premier League campaign. He also distributed the ball with a lot of conviction as evident from his pass success rate of 86% in the English first division last season (stats via whoscored).
The nine-time England international could be tempted at the possibility of moving to West London to play for Chelsea as it will give him the opportunity to compete for major trophies in the years to come. Plus, Rice might enjoy playing under Frank Lampard, who has established an attractive and attack-oriented playing style at Stamford Bridge so far.
What Will The English Midfielder Add To Frank Lampard’s Side?
Rice has got the strength to be a dominant presence at the centre of the park and can read the danger quickly that allows him to make some crucial interceptions for his side. He can be a bit slow at times as far as his mobility is concerned but has the got the ability to get back and clear his lines when in danger of being outnumbered by the opposition inside his half.
The English youngster can also complete some driving runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty area but needs to add more goals and assists to his game if he wants to become a better all-round midfielder in the future.
Rice will improve the quality of Lampard’s first-team significantly and increase competition for places within his squad. At 21, the West Ham prospect will only get better with time, so it will be a shrewd, long-term acquisition for Chelsea if they can acquire his services before the transfer window slams shut in October. Rice could even serve as an ideal replacement for N’Golo Kante, who is being linked with a switch to Inter Milan this summer.
