Chelsea handed boost in pursuit of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice
Chelsea were heavily linked with a move for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice over the summer but were unable to sign the England international.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, in his Here We Go podcast, claimed that the Blues will resume their attempts to sign the 21-year-old in January. The West Ham star is also said to be keen on joining Frank Lampard's side in the upcoming transfer window.
Chelsea suffered a second consecutive defeat in the Premier League on Tuesday night as they lost 2-1 to Wolves at the Molineux. Frank Lampard's men took the lead through in-form striker Olivier Giroud. Wolves were able to mount a fightback as Daniel Podence beat Edouard Mendy at his near post to equalize for his side.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side then delivered the killer blow in stoppage time as Pedro Neto slotted the ball past Mendy to seal the victory.
Chelsea's latest defeat has ruined their prospects of going joint-top of the Premier League. Frank Lampard's side were labeled as title favorites by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp due to the quality and depth they possess within their squad.
A key aspect of Chelsea's defeat to Wolves was their lack of creativity from across the pitch. The west London club have a wealth of attacking options at their disposal but were unable to create many chances.
This is a worrying sign for Frank Lampard, as the former Chelsea legend spent in excess of £150 million on the likes of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, and Kai Havertz to improve his attack.
Declan Rice is reportedly keen to play under Frank Lampard at Chelsea
Against Wolves, Chelsea had to make do without the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson Odoi, who were both sidelined due to hamstring injuries.
Frank Lampard, however, is keen to make additions to his side in the January transfer window, despite spending in excess of £200 million in the summer.
The Chelsea manager is reportedly happy with the options he has in attack but is eager to sign another central defensive midfielder and has identified Declan Rice as the right man for the job.
Declan Rice is a Chelsea youth product and has been immensely impressive for West Ham since making his debut for the club in 2015. He is reportedly keen to link up with Frank Lampard at Chelsea, but it is unlikely that West Ham will let their star player leave in January.
The Hammers have had a strong start to the season and will look to maintain their position in the top half of the Premier League table at the end of the season. David Moyes' side will only be able to do so if they keep hold of their star players.
Chelsea currently do not require a defensive midfielder since they possess the likes of N'Golo Kante, Matteo Kovacic and Jorginho in their squad. Therefore, a move for Declan Rice in January seems unlikely, despite reported interest from both the player and the club.