Declan Rice has issued a come and get me plea to Chelsea whilst on international duty with England. The West Ham captain is about to enter the final 18-months of his contract at the London Stadium and is heavily linked with a move away next summer.
The 23-year-old has been a target for Chelsea since 2020 and Frank Lampard's initial drive to bring him back to Stamford Bridge - a place he was released from aged 14 in the academy - but nothing has come of that interest. Having rejected contract extensions and proposals since, Rice looks set to leave the Hammers.
The defensive midfielder is currently away with England in Qatar having started all three group games for the Three Lions, and remains an integral part of Southgate's squad. England face Senegal in the last-16 on Sunday, the first World Cup knockout match of his career.
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Having helped England to the final of Euro 2020 last summer Rice is yet to lose a knockout game inside 120 minutes and is one of the best in his position in the world. On the biggest stage, it's the type of match he is determined to play more of in the future.
"I’ve been playing consistently well for the club and I want to keep pushing," Rice said speaking ahead of the game. "Like you said I see my friends here who are playing Champions League football, winning the trophies. You only get one career and at the end of your career you want to look back at what you’ve won and the biggest games you’ve played in."
Mason Mount, his childhood and current best friend, is also in the England squad and has gone on to make his Premier League, England and European debuts at a similar time to Rice, but Mount has also played in three FA Cup finals, one Carabao Cup final, won the Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Champions League.
This is the type of peak that Rice wants to hit, and he admitted, "I’m really ambitious and I really want to do that." Whilst West Ham are in the Europa Conference League - having reached the Europa League semi-finals last season - they aren't pushing for European places like they have done in the past two seasons, and interest in Rice comes from all over.
Both Liverpool and Manchester United area amongst the teams that would like to sign him.
His comments come at a time when speculation regarding his future is rife. In the summer he will enter the last year of his contract and West Ham will be backed into a corner over a price. David Moyes has long resisted temptation regarding his captain, but Rice's words whilst away with England look more like a plea and an admition that his time in claret and blue are coming to an end.
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