“He will have a lot of options” – Glen Johnson says 23-year-old Liverpool target could end up at Chelsea

Glen Johnson believes Chelsea will sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, despite the star being consistently linked with Liverpool.

The 23-year-old is considered one of the Premier League's leading defensive midfielders and was made West Ham club captain in the summer. Rice also played a part in all five of England's 2022 FIFA World Cup matches, before their elimination in the quarter-finals against France.

The holding midfielder has already made 215 appearances in his club career, as well as 39 England caps. With his contract expiring in 2025, speculation is beginning to grow that Rice will leave the Hammers in the near future, with Liverpool in desperate need of a new a midfield refresh.

But former Chelsea defender Johnson believes the Blues will beat Liverpool in the race for Rice's signature, after the club released him as a youngster. The former England defender told GGrecon:

“I don’t want him to (leave) but he needs to move if he wants to kick on in his career. I think he will end up at Chelsea because he has a soft spot for the club and he knows a number of the lads there.

“However, you can never know where he will go because he will have a lot of options.”

---

Sky Sports reporter believes West Ham are under no pressure to sell reported Liverpool and Chelsea target

With N'Golo Kante and Jorginho both out of contract in the summer, Chelsea's need for a new central midfielder is about to become rather urgent. Meanwhile, Liverpool fans have made no secret of their desire to inject some life into the aging midfield.

However, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, the East London club are under no pressure to sell their star player, as he told Give Me Sport (as per Caught Offside):

“I just think there’s no pressure as such for West Ham United to sell. I think he’s got a contract that runs until 2024 with a club option of a further year, so we can still say he’s got a contract at West Ham United until 2025.”

Rice has become one of the first names on the team sheet for England and has been linked with almost every big club in the Premier League since breaking through into the West Ham team.