Chelsea won a momentary blow from West Ham captain Declan Rice in their bid to rebuild their midfield for next season. It is said that the foreigner from England would have no interest in returning to Stamford Bridge, he also has an influence on relations with Moises Caicedo.
The Blues are desperate to keep spending money this summer, with new manager Mauricio Pochettino keen to bring new faces to both ends of the pitch. A new number nine is the most sensible on the list due to Romelu Lukaku’s reluctance to return, with a new goalkeeper also being considered.
Although Chelsea’s priority is to rebuild their midfield around January through the signing of Enzo Fernandez. Brighton star Caicedo and Southampton prospect Romeo Lavia are cited as prime targets for the job, the Blues have also thought about a resolution for Rice after he has gone transparent. He would be on the move this summer.
However, his search was incredibly short, with The Sun reporting that the West Ham captain has no interest in returning to the club that allowed him to leave at the age of 14. Instead, the 24-year-old must register with his London Rivals.
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Although Rice’s stance on joining Chelsea is rarely the only challenge he caused his former team. According to talkSPORT, the England international’s move to the Emirates Stadium will likely also have an effect on the fares Brighton is expected to rate Caicedo.
The Seagulls, the foreigner from Ecuador, are worth “at least as much” as Rice, who is expected to leave the Hammers for more than £100m. given that he needs to sign up for one of the classic ‘Big Six’ after failing to force a move in January.
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However, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea are willing to fit into Brighton’s assessment of Caicedo, whatever that may be. The Seagulls are desperate to sign former borrower Levi Colwill this summer and the Blues academy graduate is expected to play a central role in negotiations given the quality of their roster under Roberto De Zerbi last season.
Chelsea are reluctant to combine tactics with Colwill and Pochettino has singled out the defender as a key player in their plans, Brighton are excited and hope the England Under-21 foreigner will return to the south coast.