Declan Rice urged to join Chelsea ahead of Arsenal and Liverpool
As per football.london, Arsenal prioritize a move for West Ham United captain Declan Rice amid his links with Chelsea and Liverpool. The Reds are currently in a transitional phase, having experienced some ups and downs in the past season.
One area that the Reds could look to strengthen is their midfield, particularly after Fabinho’s recent form has been less than impressive. With this in mind, the club may be looking at potential transfer targets, including Rice.
Moreover, adding certainty to the speculation of Rice moving, the Englishman himself admitted that he would want to move to a club playing Champions League football sooner than later. With his contract expiring in the summer of 2024 (Transfermarkt), this summer would stand crucial in helping David Moyes cash in big money for the player.
Speaking of the speculation, former Liverpool and Chelsea man Glen Johnson urged Rice to move to the Blues and here is what he said via football.london:
“Whereas at Chelsea – he would be more free to do what he wants. If he has some of the best players in the world in front of him – his only role would be to win the ball and get it moving quickly, whereas at this point in time, Chelsea need him to get involved.”
Rice and/or Bellingham?
Even though he particularly did not speak about Liverpool, one could argue that the Reds are one of the teams that could do the most with his services. The 24-year-old is a Premier League-proven star with a high ceiling, and could certainly walk into Liverpool’s Starting XI.
Moreover, Fabinho has been one of Liverpool’s most important players over the past few seasons, but his form has dropped off in recent months. The Brazilian midfielder has struggled to find his feet this season, and Liverpool have suffered as a result. With the Reds in the midst of a transition period, a new midfielder like a Rice or even Jude Bellingham for that matter is needed to help ease the burden on the rest of the team.
The one thing the Reds will stand aware of is the fact that Rice won’t come cheaply. With Bellingham also on their radar, it could come down to possibilities and priorities for the Reds, and that is where Jude stands out.
However, if we could get both at a reasonable rate, it would be a win-win situation for the Reds, who could do with some midfielders at the club in this very moment. Jordan Henderson and James Milner aren’t young guns. Fabinho’s form can get out of hand. Thiago is extremely injury prone and the rest of the midfielders do not cut it, to be as straightforward as possible.
More Liverpool News:
- Outgoing Liverpool director Julian Ward in pole position to join Ajax Amsterdam
- Liverpool very interested in RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol
- Barcelona set £53m price tag on Liverpool target Ansu Fati
To conclude, while Chelsea may be an attractive option for the young midfielder given his past association with them as well, Liverpool would be hopeful that Rice will see the potential in joining the Reds and helping them return to their former glory.
