"I think he will end up at Chelsea" - Manchester United and Liverpool told target likely to join Graham Potter's side

Former England international Glen Johnson reckons Declan Rice could end up at Chelsea, given his 'soft spot' for the club.

Rice recently has made it clear that he wants to play in the UEFA Champions League, which his current side, West Ham United, are unable to offer. That sparked transfer rumours, with the midfielder already on some big teams' radar, namely that of Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City along with the Blues.

Johnson feels Rice could join the Stamford Bridge outfit, given that's where he started his youth career and spent eight years.

Speaking to GGRecon, he said:

"I don't want him to, 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."

Rice broke into West Ham's first team in 2017 and has grown steadily to become a key player. He has also been consistently linked with several top clubs but has remained in east London.

The 23-year-old was an integral part of the England team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, starting all five games, including their 2-1 quarterfinal loss against holders France.

He's sure to have suitors lined up, especially as his West Ham contract is up in June 2024, and the club would rather sell him off in a big money transfer instead of losing him for free. Rice's current market value is €80 million, according to Transfermarkt.

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Chelsea and Manchester United trailing in Premier League title race

Chelsea and Manchester United find themselves outside the top four of the Premier League.

After failing to win their last five league games (three losses, two draws) — their first in ten years — before the mid-season break, the Blues have plummeted to eighth in the standings.

Graham Potter, who only replaced Thomas Tuchel in September, now finds himself on the chopping block.

As for Manchester United, following a brief revival, their form has once again slumped, failing to win consecutive games since the start of October. Both teams will need to improve their form going into the second half of the season.