Chelsea to use Tammy Abraham in swap deal to land Premier League midfielder - Reports
Chelsea have revived their interest in West Ham United's Declan Rice and are set to make a move for the England midfielder in the summer. The Blues are reportedly considering a swap deal that will see Tammy Abraham move the other way to West Ham.
According to the Telegraph, Chelsea are not the only club interested in signing Declan Rice this summer, with Manchester City and Manchester United also in the hunt.
The report also said West Ham have slapped a price tag of £90 million on the midfielder to ward off interested clubs. However, Chelsea are not set to back down and are prepared to offer Tammy Abraham as a makeweight in the deal.
Chelsea urged to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United
Former Chelsea defender William Gallas believes Declan Rice is a perfect fit for the Blues. According to Gallas, a move to Stamford Bridge would help Rice elevate his game.
"He's a good player. For his age, he's unbelievable. Very strong and technically, he's almost got everything," Gallas told PlayOJO. "For me, he has to leave West Ham to get to the next level because he could be a top-class player.
"To be a top-class player, he has to train everyday alongside top-class players which is why for me he has to leave West Ham next season. He looks like he has a strong personality, I think he would be a good signing for Chelsea."
Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, a huge fan of Declan Rice, had expressed his desire to sign the West Ham midfielder before his sacking.
"He's a fantastic player for West Ham and England, so fair play because his journey after leaving Chelsea and going to West Ham is a good story to hear," Lampard said. "There are lots of those stories for different reasons at whatever level and that shows a strength of character.
"It's not easy, it's not an exact science to pick or choose players. But the academy work brilliantly here and bring through a lot of players. Declan Rice, let's give him personal credit for going and making the great start to his career that he's had at West Ham."
Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham's time at Chelsea appears to be coming to an end. The club are willing to use Abraham as part of any potential swap deal to land their top targets this summer. Reports last week suggested they were looking to include the English striker in a deal to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham.