Chelsea signing David Alaba could spell the end of their pursuit for Declan Rice
According to Ollie Star of The Daily Star, Chelsea signing David Alaba could come at the cost of us pursuing Declan Rice.
The 21-year-old is a former Chelsea youth product who was let go at the age of 14. He moved to West Ham United and has since thrived for our London rivals.
Frank Lampard is a fan of the player and is keen to add him to his roster. The Blues were unable to make a deal in the summer and the youngster stayed put with the Hammers.
Having spent £230million in the summer, Chelsea have baulked at West Ham’s £80million asking price for Rice.
According to the Telegraph (h/t Daily Star), the mammoth price is a concern for Chelsea. It was shown when they turned their attention towards a cheaper alternative in Thomas Partey.
While the midfielder eventually signed for Arsenal, it was an indication of finances dictating a potential deal.
A solution can be found in Bayern Munich star Alaba. The Austrian superstar is in the final year of his contract and can be signed for free next summer.
Similar to Rice, Alaba too can play both in defence and midfield. While the former has age on his side, the latter has experience and guile.
It can be argued that Chelsea will be getting an already world-class player in Alaba rather than a potential one in Rice. Moreover, Alaba can also fill in at left-back, while also bringing his set-piece abilities.
The prospect of signing a player like Alaba, let alone for free, does not come very often. It is not something we should miss out on.
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Signing Rice is truly an enticing option, more so when one considers the friendship between him and Mason Mount.
The duo also has an excellent understanding on the pitch, as shown by their performances for England. The prospect of them replicating it in a Blue jersey is truly a salivating prospect.
However, as things stand, it would appear we will have to wait for that to come to fruition, if at all.