---
title: "Chelsea: Declan Rice remains a target for Graham Potter"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/chelsea-declan-rice-transfer-rumours-update/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Dominic Lund"
section: "Chelsea News"
published: "2023-01-08T21:15:38Z"
modified: "2023-01-08T21:15:38Z"
---

# Chelsea: Declan Rice remains a target for Graham Potter

**[Chelsea](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/chelsea-fc-news/) remain interested in signing West Ham United midfielder [Declan Rice](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/declan-rice/), according to [transfer insider](https://twitter.com/DeanJonesSoccer) Dean Jones.**

### The Lowdown: Chelsea’s midfield targets

The Blues have been targeting a new midfielder this month, with both [Jorginho](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jorginho/profil/spieler/102017) and [N’Golo Kante](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ngolo-kante/profil/spieler/225083)‘s contracts expiring at the end of the season.

The midfield duo are now both over the age of 30, meaning that younger options are needed for [Graham Potter](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/graham-potter/), and the manager has recently been [linked](https://theathletic.com/4049793/2023/01/02/chelsea-midfield-transfers-fernandez-bellingham/) with moves for the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

### The Latest: Rice still targeted

While there may have been some concern that Chelsea’s interest in a plethora of midfielders indicated that the Blues were no longer interested in Rice, Jones has now claimed that this is not the case.

He told [GIVEMESPORT](https://www.givemesport.com/88100750-chelsea-70m-star-is-target-amid-enzo-fernandez-blow-at-stamford-bridge): *“It’s an interesting one because Declan Rice does still remain a target at this stage.* *But he’s not available until the summer* *so Chelsea are trying to make sure they’ve got enough in the tank by the time they get to next season.”*

### The Verdict: Get it done?

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs [claimed](https://caughtoffside.substack.com/p/exclusive-ben-jacobs-takeover-why?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email) this week that the 23-year-old would be available for around £70m in the summer, and there is no doubt that Chelsea should pursue a deal for the West Ham skipper at that price, as he has consistently proven himself to be a top-level player.

ESPN’s David Cartlidge has previously hailed the Englishman as a ‘[monster](https://twitter.com/davidjaca/status/1200821131600629761?s=20&t=ptMScP9Y3aYaqUdlJv02iA)‘, a fitting description considering his performances for the Irons, as he is still excelling despite his team’s very poor [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) campaign up to this point.

His 6.90 [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/29/Show/England-West-Ham) rating is the best of anyone at the London Stadium and would put him [joint-fifth](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/15/Show/England-Chelsea) in Potter’s squad at Stamford Bridge.

The former Chelsea youth player has displayed his talent in distributing the ball by completing [1,106](https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/total_pass?se=489) passes, the eighth-most of any player in the league, making him a fantastic fit for Potter’s [possession-based](https://twitter.com/AbsoluteChelsea/status/1611664215785218050?s=20&t=1CPR96sKlqwDf78vGrTArw) style of play.