Chelsea have reportedly renewed their pursuit of West Ham star Declan Rice – and could use Tammy Abraham as a makeweight in a deal to sign the midfielder.
Rice, who was released by Chelsea’s academy at the age of 14, is one of the most coveted young players in Europe after superb recent form for the Hammers and England.
And according to the Telegraph, the Blues are ready to commit to the chase for his signature again – after making him a top priority last summer – and potentially use out-of-favour striker Abraham to facilitate a player- or players-plus-cash deal.
Elegant defensive midfielder Rice was a key target for Tuchel’s predecessor Frank Lampard, but Chelsea refused to pay West Ham’s valuation of £70million, with Lampard’s insistence on the deal causing friction with club chiefs, who felt an expensive move for someone they had previously released would be embarrassing.
When Tuchel arrived, it was understood Chelsea were no longer pursuing Rice, but the German is said to rate the 22-year-old highly and will recommend him as one of several players he wants the club to sign this summer.
If Rice leaves, his preference would be to return to Stamford Bridge rather than join Manchester United or Manchester City, who are both interested in his signature.
But the Hammers are resolute in their desire to keep him and hope that securing Europa League football, if they draw against or beat Southampton on the final day, will be a factor in keeping him for another campaign.
Moreover Chelsea may need to attain qualification for next season’s Champions League to sign him, given the financial boost the tournament provides, and the club’s other transfer plans to sign a top-class striker and another centre-half.
Tuchel’s side can guarantee a top-four finish if they defeat Aston Villa on the last day of the Premier League season on Sunday, but could qualify if they beat Manchester City and win this season’s tournament in the final on Saturday May 29.
West Ham’s previous asking price of £70m for Rice will probably have risen to circa £90m after another stellar season, meaning the Blues could offer £40m-rated forward Abraham as part of the deal to reduce the fee.
Boss David Moyes is a fan of Abraham but previously declared he could not afford Chelsea’s demands for the 23-year-old, with the Scot also keeping an eye on midfielder Ross Barkley, who Chelsea are happy to let go.
Benfica’s Julian Weigl, who Tuchel managed at Borussia Dortmund, and Monaco powerhouse Aurelien Tchouameni are more budget-friendly options if a move for Rice proves too expensive for the West London side. (Daily Mail)
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