Chelsea ‘set to target Declan Rice if N’Golo Kante quits the Blues for Real Madrid as French star moves ahead of Paul Pogba in LaLiga side’s wish-list’
- Real Madrid are set to step up their pursuit of N’Golo Kante this summer
- The Spanish side are reportedly prioritising him over countryman Paul Pogba
- If Kante moves to the Bernabeu, Chelsea are ‘ready to move for Declan Rice’
- The West Ham star is an ex-Blues academy player and is set to move soon
Declan Rice could be tasked with filling the huge void N’Golo Kante will leave at Chelsea if the Frenchman is lured to Real Madrid this summer.
The Spanish giants have long tracked the defensive midfielder, whose unique intercepting and transitional abilities cement his place among the world’s best.
Kante has battled injury this season and struggled to make a consistent impact in Chelsea’s Champions League push, but he has still reportedly edged ahead of Paul Pogba in the Bernabeu side’s wish-list.
Declan Rice is seen as the natural replacement for N’Golo Kante if he leaves Chelsea in summer
The French World Cup winner is being targeted by Spanish giants Real Madrid this summer
Madrid took Chelsea’s talisman Eden Hazard last year and want to do the same with Kante
If Real can lure another Blues’ talisman – having stolen Eden Hazard last summer – the west London side see Rice as a natural replacement, according to the Mirror.
Rice rose through the Stamford Bridge side’s academy before being poached by West Ham, where he broke into the first-team aged 18 and has now become an England regular.
The midfielder became close friends with Mason Mount in the Blues’ system, and the two have remained close friends since, Rice telling Copa 90: ‘I’d love to play with him at club level again.’
Rice is set to leave West Ha after impressive performances for the relegation scrappers
Rice and Mason Mount became friends in the Blues setup and Mount could boost their hopes
The Hammers sit 16th in the Premier League while it remains on shutdown, hovering precariously above the relegation zone on 27 points, level with 18th place Bournemouth.
Rice is set to be a target of multiple top clubs this summer and the east London side will struggle to keep hold of him despite the coronavirus’ expected impact on transfer fees.
Manchester United, Madrid and Arsenal are other clubs reportedly weighing-up a move for the midfielder.
