---
title: "Chelsea: Frank Lampard could use senior players as bargaining chip in pursuit of Declan Rice"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/chelsea-frank-lampard-ross-barkley-batshayi-bargaining-chip-rice/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Georgia Goulding"
section: "Chelsea Football Club"
published: "2020-07-21T20:40:57Z"
modified: "2020-07-21T20:40:57Z"
---

# Chelsea: Frank Lampard could use senior players as bargaining chip in pursuit of Declan Rice

**Chelsea are reportedly looking to offer two senior players to West Ham in an attempt to loosen the Hammers’ grip on Declan Rice this summer.**

The Blues are big admirers of the 21-year-old and are eager to see him come to Stamford Bridge ahead of next season. According to The Times (via [Sportsmole](https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/transfer-talk/news/chelsea-to-offer-barkley-batshuayi-in-rice-deal_407389.html)), Frank Lampard is considering tabling both Michy Batshuayi and Ross Barkley as part of a player-plus-cash deal.

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The west London outfit have already splurged more than £80m combined on [Hakim Ziyech](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51488996) and [Timo Werner.](https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/chelsea-complete-475m-werner-signing-from-rb-leipzig/1t6z6acsgu5wy1lk6woiswqye9) Major transfer target Kai Havertz also looks close to be making his move to Stamford Bridge (via [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jul/20/chelsea-kai-havertz-bayer-leverkusen)). However, with the addition of three attack-minded players, Lampard needs to balance out the squad and ensure that his defence isn’t left exposed.

Chelsea’s interest in Rice will add a versatile young talent to their books, something with which Lampard will likely be keen to work at the Bridge. According to [ESPN,](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/soccer-transfers/story/4130443/west-ham-determined-to-keep-declan-rice-despite-chelsea-interest) West Ham currently value the defender-turned-midfielder at £70m, which the Blues are hoping to chisel down with the offering of two players.

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Barkley has appeared in 28 matches across all competitions for Chelsea this season and has bagged five goals and five assists (via [Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ross-barkley/leistungsdaten/spieler/131978)). He has featured in every Premier League game for the Blues since the restart, yet it seems that Lampard still isn’t fully sold on him.

For Batshuayi, who has played just [224 minutes](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/michy-batshuayi/leistungsdaten/spieler/179184) of league football this term, the proposal makes sense. However, Barkley seems rather more surprisingly in danger and his future at Chelsea could now hang in the balance.

***Do you think Chelsea should keep or sell Ross Barkley? Have your say in the comments below…***