Declan Rice's verdict is delivered by Thomas Tuchel after the Chelsea target rejects a third West Ham contract
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says he rates West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice "very highly," but the Blues haven't considered making an approach for the England international because the club can't buy or sell players until the current takeover process is completed.
Rice began his career in the Chelsea academy at Cobham, but was released at the age of 14 and quickly signed with the Irons. He made his West Ham debut in May 2017 and has since gone on to make 188 appearances for the club as well as establish himself as a regular in England's squad under Gareth Southgate.
The 23-year-consistent old's progress has resulted to inevitable speculation about his future and a move away from the London Stadium. And Rice has turned down three contract offers from West Ham to extend his current deal, which expires in the summer of 2024, though the Hammers have the option to extend it for another year.
During Frank Lampard's tenure at Stamford Bridge, he was keen on bringing Rice back, but there was no genuine attempt made by those at the top of the club to grant that request. This summer, however, it was expected to be different, with Rice viewed as a key target as Tuchel looks to refresh his midfield.
Chelsea's transfer plans, however, are currently on hold. The government-imposed sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich as part of its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted – in addition to a raft of other restrictions being put in place – The Blues will be unable to buy or sell players, nor will they be able to offer new contracts to current squad members.
That limbo will not end until the club is sold – a process that is unlikely to be completed until next month – despite The Raine Group, the US investment bank in charge of overseeing the sale of the club Abramovich purchased in 2003, expecting to confirm a preferred bidder next week.
Tuchel's attention has been solely on the field in recent weeks. The German insists he hasn't looked into the nitty-gritty of the takeover, nor has he felt the need to look into the ever-expanding list of people involved in the three consortiums vying to buy the club.
The Chelsea head coach's strategy is very much football first – As a result, his primary goal for tomorrow's game against West Ham at Stamford Bridge is to win. It's a big game for the Blues, who are looking to snap a three-game losing streak at home. Rice will be among the opponents.
Tuchel previously stated that Rice is a "Chelsea boy" because he learned his trade in the club's academy. And, ahead of the Irons' visit this time, the Blues manager was asked how he rated the England international among his Premier League contemporaries.
During his pre-match media duties, Tuchel responded instantly, "Very highly." He appears to be a very nice guy, according to everyone, and he is from the Chelsea academy, which he proves [his quality]. That’s the most important thing. It feels like he plays every single game.
"He is available, captain, plays with a lot of responsibility, is a physical player, a very strategic player, a key player for his team, and is strong at set-pieces." This comes as no surprise. This is obvious to everyone. He is a huge part of West Ham's success, and it is impressive."
West Ham continue to insist that Rice is not for sale this summer, despite the fact that the club's manager, David Moyes, stated at the start of the month that a bid of around £150 million would be required for the club to enter talks with interested parties. "It means that only a few clubs will even consider it," he said earlier this month.
Rice's asking price would put him above the majority of clubs in the world, possibly even Chelsea. "When you hear the numbers that are floating around, maybe they [players as expensive as Rice] are even out of our league if we don't have our crisis." "Tuchel smiled as he spoke ahead of tomorrow's match at Stamford Bridge.
"But, as you know, we don't talk about other players when deciding whether we're interested or not because we take care of the guys we have here. Because we can't even think about buying or selling, our situation gives me a slight advantage. As a result, there is no need to consider it."
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