Reports: Chelsea remain determined to sign Declan Rice from West Ham
Chelsea have not given up on landing Declan Rice and are optimistic that a deal can be agreed upon before the close of the transfer window.
The 21-year-old has starred for West Ham United since making his debut in 2015, rising to become one of the most sought-after midfielders in the league, while also becoming a full-fledged England international.
His performances have led to a high interest in his services and West Ham have placed a £90m transfer fee on his head in a bid to detract prospective suitors.
This has, however, not stopped Frank Lampard from attempting to bring him to Stamford Bridge and according to 90 min, the Chelsea manager has told the board to pay whatever it takes to sign the Declan Rice.
The board are not entirely convinced that the England midfielder is worth that amount, and having spent over £200m on new arrivals this summer, any potential deal might be dependent on raising funds from player sales.
Another option could see a Blues player make the move in the other direction to West Ham and the name of Ruben Loftus Cheek has been bandied about as a potential incentive for a Declan Rice swap deal.
Loftus Cheek has seen his time with Chelsea plagued by recurring injuries and having failed to convince Lampard of his worth last season, he has been told that he is free to leave the club.
A transfer for Declan Rice would be a second homecoming for the West Ham star
It is no hidden secret that Chelsea have arguably the best football academy in England and the club's record at youth level over the last few years has truly been remarkable.
Equally remarkable has been the struggle of academy players to break into the first team and the last decade is replete with Chelsea youngsters who failed to make the grade at Stamford Bridge but flourished elsewhere.
Declan Rice falls into this category of players, having joined the Cobham Training Centre at the age of seven, spending the next eight years with the club before departing for West Ham in 2014.
Rice made his first-team debut with the Hammers just a year later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
With fellow academy contemporaries Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, and Callum Hudson-Odoi currently making waves with the Chelsea first team, Declan Rice would relish a second chance to make a mark with his boyhood club.