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Chelsea have two-player plan to secure Declan Rice signing after receiving encouragement
Chelsea are reportedly still interested in signing West Ham and England star Declan Rice.
Declan Rice will be 'held back' at West Ham says pundit
Chelsea plan to sell at least two senior players to help fund a January move for West Ham star Declan Rice after receiving encouragement from both parties that a deal could be completed, according to reports. Chelsea wanted to sign Rice in the summer but were not able to prise the England international away from their London rivals.
Rice has become a vital part of the West Ham midfield in recent seasons, playing every minute in the Premier League last term.
But reports say Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is keen on using Rice as a defender.
Rice played in defence when he first came into the Hammers side but was quickly moved forward into a holding-midfield role.
Chelsea spent around £220million on new talent in the summer but are still hoping to sign the 21-year-old.
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And Football Insider claims the Blues are eyeing up a January raid for the versatile star.
The report states that Chelsea are willing to sell at least two players to help fund a move for Rice.
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Jorginho, Antonio Rudiger and Marcos Alonso are all named as players who could leave Stamford Bridge.
West Ham are said to be braced for a bid and, despite publicly stating Rice is not for sale, have given private encouragement to Chelsea that a deal could get done.
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Rice is also said to be keen on a return to Chelsea, seven years after leaving the academy aged 14.
Last month, former England striker Darren Bent claimed Rice would be an upgrade on Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante.
Bent told talkSPORT: "N'Golo Kante has been a superb footballer - and still is a great footballer.
"He won the Premier League with Leicester, went to Chelsea and won the Premier League and won the World Cup in 2018.
"But I just think over the past season and a half, he's not played that role we know he is so good at, for whatever reason.
"Maybe [Maurizio] Sarri (former Chelsea boss) was onto something because he said he wasn't quick enough in possession so he didn't play him there.
"Sarri got absolutely killed for not playing him there but Frank has come in and done the same thing and no one has really said anything."
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