Chelsea’s player fire sale to raise £65m for West Ham’s Declan Rice
CHELSEA plan to sell some of their stars to raise £65million and land West Ham’s Declan Rice.
The Blues let the defensive midfielder go for free as a kid – but boss Frank Lampard has made the England starlet his top priority this summer.
Lamps’ more straightforward idea is to flog midfielder Jorginho.
The likes of Juventus and Inter Milan are likely to pay £40m for the defensive midfielder, who is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.
Former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri would like to bring the 29-year-old to the Serie A champions, says the Telegraph.
That would go most of the way to getting the cash for 21-year-old Rice.
Chelsea have already spent big, signing £48m striker Timo Werner and £33.3m playmaker Hayich Kayim.
They are also closing in on Bayer Leverkusen attacker Kai Havertz for £80m.
It is also clear that Blues need strengthening at the back as more of a priority.
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But Rice could play at centre-half, his favoured position.
Rice, also wanted by Manchester United and Arsenal, left Chelsea in 2015.
But he has become one of the brightest young stars in England since he was converted to a defensive midfielder by boss David Moyes nearly three years ago.