Frank Leboeuf has insisted that Chelsea must sign Declan Rice at all costs despite competition from Arsenal. The 24-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with a departure from West Ham for some time now as he continues to impress.
Despite the arrival of Jorginho in January, football.london understand that the Gunners still hold a strong interest in Rice. It's also understood that the Hammers captain remains a key target for the Blues, where he earned his stripes alongside Mason Mount in the academy before he was eventually released.
The England international sees his contract at the London Stadium expire at the end of next season, but it's said that West Ham have the option to extend his stay by a further year. However, Rice has previously voiced his ambition to play in the Champions League and, with the east Londoners only capable of clinching a Europa League spot this term, a switch could be on the cards.
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Unfortunately for Chelsea, European football is out of reach entirely. Nevertheless, Leboeuf has highlighted Rice as an absolute priority for his former club.
"Chelsea must try and sign Declan Rice," the 55-year-old told Si & Dan Talk Chelsea. "People have the right to make mistakes and Chelsea made a mistake when they got rid of him when he was younger.
"Rice is a fantastic player; he’s strong, clever, technically good, physically a monster, and tactically he can be very useful. It would be a big change if Chelsea signed him because for the first time in a long time we would have someone very strong in the middle of the park.
"If you have the chance to sign Declan Rice, then you go and get him. He knows the club, I think he cheers the club, and he would bring something special to Chelsea. We have very good players here but we don’t have monsters, we don’t have a strong guy in the middle of the park.
"I love Rice, he’s like a tower in the middle where you can rely on him and make sure physically, tactically, technically, and mentally the guy will be there 24/7 that’s for sure."
While Rice is expected to cost at least £100million this summer, Gary Neville believes that he's only worth £60m. Speaking on Sky Sport in March, the former Manchester United defender said: "I love Declan Rice. Obviously, Declan knows the position, but when I look at world-class holding midfielders, and players of that type, because he doesn't score or assist enough goals, you're putting him into that category of more of a destroyer.
"I think there's a lot of growth, and a lot for Declan to do to get up to the levels of Casemiro, Rodri and players at the top of the game in those positions. But, for me, I wouldn't be spending £110m or £120m on Rice if I was Manchester United this summer. I would spend £50m-£60m on Declan Rice, but I wouldn't spend the figures being reported."
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