Report: Potential West Ham boost as Chelsea could drop Declan Rice interest

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Chelsea could drop any interest in Declan Rice, according to reports. It’s potentially a big boost for West Ham United going forward.

Chelsea are strongly considering dropping their interest in Declan Rice, according to Eurosport. They believe that while the Blues like Rice, they may want to concentrate their money elsewhere.

They’re high on Jude Bellingham, instead. Chelsea would have to wait until 2022 to make Borussia Dortmund an offer but the club is prepared to wait.

Rice has proven to be too expensive at £70m and there are doubts within the club that they really need him. Especially at that price.

Bellingham, though, appears to be a star-in-waiting. Concentrating their cash in that direction might appeal to the club more.

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Nothing but good news for West Ham, honestly, if it proves true. It’s worth adding that the Express go in a different direction – they say Chelsea want Rice in January.

But as West Ham try to grow, having a major club tempting their star is trouble. Someone else might take up interest, of course, but the club can rest easy for now.

Rice is, for one thing, a player who will only increase in value. He’s still just 21 but already proving himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the league. Doing that at a club that hasn’t been consistently good for some time is actually quite remarkable.

And if West Ham want to become consistent and grow as a team, having Rice as a lock in the centre is perfect. He’s a player you can build a midfield around and, hopefully, they can keep him there for three or four more years.

That will be the goal. Get him to the brink of his prime and improve enough that he commits further years of his career. Chelsea moving their sight elsewhere makes all of that immeasurably easier.