Chelsea are to continue their pursuit of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice despite Thomas Tuchel leaving the club.
Since Mark Noble left West Ham, Rice has been the primary captain of the club. After coming through the academy, Rice has emerged as a key player, not only for West Ham but for England too.
His performances for England were pivotal in their run to the European Championship final and he’s attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs around Europe.
According to journalist Dean Jones, speaking to GiveMeSport, Chelsea will continue to pursue Rice even after Tuchel has left the club.
“Thomas Tuchel’s departure won’t really affect Chelsea’s vision of signing Declan Rice. There are still people that remain within the club that are set on going for Declan Rice when the time arrives,” said Jones.
Rice spent some time with the Chelsea academy before being released by the club, and it’s well documented how close he is with childhood friends Mason Mount, who also plays for Chelsea.
Returning to the club could be a real possibility for Rice, especially if he wants to push himself and play in the Champions League.
West Ham aren’t going to want to sell their midfielder with ease, so it could take an astronomical bid to prise him away from the club.