The Hammers are not considering selling the England international and won’t negotiate with Frank Lampard’s side on a possible summer bargain.
The Blues are interested in making a go for Rice, who left the club in 14 years old to join with the Hammers, but it appears unlikely that Frank Lampard’s side will have the ability to convince their opponents over negotiating a bargain.
The 21-year-old still has four years left on his contract in the London Stadium having an option for a further season, while West Ham doesn’t must market their own midfielder unless relegation changes their fiscal outlook.
That is even though the Hammers having shown an interest in registering Ross Barkley in January, that could have been employed as a possible makeweight.
Barkley is, nevertheless, still dedicated to the Blues and has been in good shape before the present break in play as a result of coronavirus outbreak.
Rice struck up friendships at Chelsea’s academy foundation in Cobham throughout his period as a youth-team participant in the club and keeps a strong connection with individuals people who have climbed through the ranks.
Manchester United have demonstrated an interest in Rice previously and may make an offer when he had been set up for sale by the Hammers.
Chelsea stay unsure over potential transfer company in the summertime, given the uncertainty within the 2019-20 season throughout the Covid-19 epidemic and once the window is going to be opened.
Renewing Tammy Abraham’s contract becomes another priority, together with all the England forwards having impressed to now in his breakthrough effort at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard has openly said his fascination with Lille celebrity Boubakary Soumare, together with the midfielder attracting attention from a lot of clubs before the next transfer window.
Nonetheless, the central midfield area is reduced on Chelsea’s set of priorities together with Billy Gilmour coming and Ruben Loftus-Cheek placed to come back to incorporate to a squad that currently owns Barkley, Mount, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante.
World Cup winner Kante is unlikely to proceed in the summer despite long-term curiosity from Real Madrid trainer Zinedine Zidane, together with Target reporting that the Frenchman’s preference would be to remain with the Blues.
Chelsea will rather focus their efforts on registering an attacker along with a left-back, together with Barcelona having appeared from the Stamford Bridge club above their prospective interest in registering Philippe Coutinho.
It remains unclear whether the Blues will create an effort to sign Coutinho, together with the Brazilian possibly being on the loan, and, were he to combine, he’d sit alongside Kante as being among their club’s top earners.
Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, and RB Leipzig forwards Timo Werner are one of the others on the club radar before the approaching transfer window.
