Declan Rice Next Club Odds - 22/06/20

After his release from Chelsea at the age of fourteen, things were looking bleak for young Declan Rice having been part of the Blues academy since he was seven years old.

He was picked up by the youth system at West Ham and has not looked back since, rising through the ranks with the Hammers and has gone on to become one of their key men in midfield.

His rise to prominence was also greatly increased in February 2019 when he pledged his international allegiance to England, and has earned himself seven caps with the Three Lions. With West Ham in a relegation battle, there are a number of clubs looking to snap up Rice – even if the club do remain in the top flight for another season.

Let's take a look at the odds for Rice's next club.

It is ironic and almost quite poetic in the same breath that the club that released Rice at such a young age are one of the favourites to sign him.

Of course, Chelsea wouldn’t be the first club in their history to have bought back a player that once was in their youth system and departed for pastures new; Paul Pogba coming straight to mind.

The only real question would be in terms of how much play time Rice would get in order to continue his development. At the age of 21 it is highly likely he won’t be a first-team regular under Frank Lampard, but there is a pecking order currently at Stamford Bridge.

Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Ross Barkley, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount are all currently at the club, and Rice’s arrival would mix up the order in midfield – let’s not forget another impressive Chelsea youngster Billy Gilmour who could find himself struggling for first-team action should Rice join.

Chelsea are strong favourites to sign the Englishman at 5/6.

Manchester United have had a history of producing some of the finest quality England stars, especially in more recent years through the likes of Marcus Rashford.

While Rice has made a name for himself with his current club, a move to Old Trafford could well be the stepping stone to becoming a great player that Rice needs to progress his career.

A move to the Red Devils would also see him link up with some of his international teammates such as Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The issue over a move to the red side of Manchester is similar to that with a move to Chelsea, and that is game time. While Rice is only 21, as he has played such a key part for West Ham over recent seasons he will certainly be expecting to get more game time than other players his age.

With Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes just to name a few of the current midfield stars at the club, Rice could see himself struggle to break into the first team on a regular basis, but could be seen as a long-term successor for Pogba if the Frenchman departs.

At 4/1, the odds are certainly favouring a move to Old Trafford.

If the red half can’t convince him to sign, then their noisy neighbours will be waiting in the wings to swoop for Rice.

There isn’t really a great need for City to sign a midfielder in the next transfer window; David Silva will be leaving the club after such a long spell at the Etihad, which could open the door for Rice, though there is also another young English midfielder to contend with in Phil Foden.

Rice would bolster City’s quota of homegrown players, and at 8/1 there is still a strong chance he could make the jump to the reigning champions – whether he will have Champions League football remains to be seen.

There are so many clubs in the capital it would seem ludicrous to rule out the possibility that Rice could jump ship to one of West Ham’s city rivals.

Odds are currently at 12/1 for two London clubs in particular – Arsenal and their bitter rivals Tottenham. Starting with the Gunners, first of all, their season has been nowhere near their usual standards and depending on where the club finish it could result in a massive overhaul for Mikel Arteta and his management team.

That could pave the way for Rice to make a move to the Emirates, and with the midfield options being thinner compared to the other clubs mentioned there is a chance that Rice will be able to gain more valuable first-team experience.

As for Spurs they too have had a bit of an underwhelming season thus far. They have some strong midfielders already in their ranks, and would most likely look to use Rice in the long run.

Either way, both clubs could miss out on Champions League football depending on how the rest of the season pans out which may be a deciding factor over Rice’s future.

Currently, the outsiders to sign the defensive midfielder Liverpool are at 16/1.

There have been questions over Liverpool’s midfield despite their brilliance over the last two seasons, with many people arguing that it is the weakest aspect of their squad. Jordan Henderson has really turned a corner and become the player that he was promised all those years ago, but at the age of 30, he doesn’t have many years ahead of him.

James Milner signed a contract extension with the Reds earlier on in the season, but again he is ageing and there are certainly not too many midfield options currently for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Georginio Wijnaldum and Naby Keita are currently on the roster, but with some of the players' futures potentially being in doubt it could open up the door for Rice to move to Anfield.

Klopp has a track record of getting the best out of young players and could be the perfect destination for Rice to continue his development in the long run.

By Alan Faulkner