Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel wants to sign Declan Rice and play him alongside Conor Gallagher in the club’s new-look midfield.
The Athletic claim that Tuchel ‘loves’ the West Ham defensive midfielder and is weighing up a move for the player in anticipation of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho leaving Stamford Bridge next campaign.
In recent weeks, reports has been growing about the two current Chelsea midfielders, with Kante and Jorginho the wrong side of 30 and out of contract in 2023.
Tuchel has previously said that he does not want to lose either player, especially in the same manner in which he is likely to lose Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger at the end of this campaign.
But if their contracts are not extended, the Blues will turn to former academy player Rice, who has been tipped for a big money move away from West Ham for a while now, as well as Gallagher who has had a breakthrough season on loan at Crystal Palace.
Both are young English players in the middle of impressive seasons, with Rice helping West Ham to the Europa League semi-finals and potentially another top-six finish, and Gallagher aiding Palace to the FA Cup semi-final stage.
But, they are not the only players being targeted by the Blues, with Monaco midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni a favourite amongst the club’s scouting team.
The 22-year-old is highly rated, boasting defensive stats that match Kante and creative skills similar to Mateo Kovacic, and like Rice he has been linked with a plethora of top European sides including Manchester United.
