Chelsea pursuit of West Ham ace Declan Rice in doubt
Chelsea’s decision on Conor Gallagher may end their pursuit of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, according to the Evening Standard.
The report claims that the Blues have opted to ‘finalise’ plans for the 2022/23 season.
They’ve decided to ensure that Gallagher stays put at Stamford Bridge after his loan spell at Crystal Palace ends in June.
Good news
Their decision to retain Gallagher’s services means that they may not want another midfielder in the summer.
This means that the Hammers have one fewer club to fend off interest for the 23-year-old England international.
Rice’s stock has only been skyrocketing over the last two seasons and there’s a good chance that his sale could break the Premier League transfer record.
Chelsea are a super rich club but so are Manchester United and Manchester City, both of whom hold a firm interest in the player.
It remains to be seen if Rice can realise his true potential at West Ham and give the club another season to prove their worth.
Champions League qualification would certainly go a long way towards sealing the deal, but it is far from guaranteed, given the other clubs in the race as well.
Whether or not his future is at the London Stadium beyond this summer is anyone’s guess, but the club will certainly back whatever decision he makes.
In other West Ham news, ExWHUemployee claims that an ‘Unbelievable’ Hammers player could be out for the rest of the season
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