Declan Rice May Be Man United's First Choice But It Looks Like Chelsea Are His

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has been linked with Manchester United but it looks strongly like he would prefer a move to Chelsea.

West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice has spoken candidly about his love for Chelsea in an interview with former Manchester United captain Gary Neville.

Rice has been the subject of widespread transfer speculation over the past 18 months, with many of England’s biggest clubs said to be big admirers of the 23-year-old.

West Ham have an impressive reputation for developing top young footballers, but history tells us that their brightest and best ultimately fly the nest - see Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and a fair few more.

And although their latest home-reared prodigy will remain a Hammer until the end of the season at least - as the winter transfer window has now closed - it is expected that Rice will level up well before his contract runs down in 2024.

British newspaper The Telegraph claimed earlier this week that Man United chiefs are readying a bid for the player this summer, while multiple reports have cited Rice as the top name on the Old Trafford club’s transfer wish-list.

He will not be cheap, with West Ham’s valuation said to exceed £100m ($136m). Not many clubs can afford that kind of money these days, but United can. Chelsea and Manchester City also fall into that mega-rich bracket and they too are believed to be keen on Rice.

So what would happen if all three were to make their move and Rice himself had the opportunity to choose between Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium?

If Rice's interview with Neville on The Overlap is anything to go by it looks as though Chelsea would be a long way ahead of their Premier League rivals.

Rice was a Chelsea youth player from the age of seven to 14, but he was a fan first. "Yeah, growing up the whole family was Chelsea," he told Neville as the pair strolled through west London’s Kingston upon Thames, where Rice was born and raised.

Although Rice now plays in the east of England's capital with West Ham, he told Neville that he still has a house out west in Kingston, which is famously Chelsea territory.

"I'm here all the time," he said. "I've always wanted to stay close to this place, I feel like I don't want to lose my roots." That statement might suggest that a move north to Manchester could be deemed too much emotional upheaval for Rice.

Another trump card Chelsea hold is that Rice is best friends with Blues midfielder Mason Mount.

Rice and Mount never got to play together at senior level for Chelsea before Rice was released, but they have since reignited their on-field bromance on the international stage with England. During a conversation with The Guardian in 2019, the duo admitted that some of their Three Lions team-mates even find it "strange" how close they still are.

But although creative midfielder Mount is clearly Rice’s favorite current Chelsea player, former hardman center-back John Terry was his idol growing up.

Discussing his relationship with Terry, Rice told Neville: "I speak to him a lot. I speak to him all the time really.

"For me growing up being a Chelsea fan, having a season ticket there, going to all the games, being in the academy... Just him, looking at him, everything was JT as a kid. 'JT 26' on the back. Even when I was younger I said if I make it I want to be No 26, but I feel like as I've got older now I've grown out of that. It would look a bit creepy!

"He was amazing for me when I got released as well, he picked up the phone - he didn't have to, I was only 14 at the time and I was speaking to my idol - so yeah, we've got a good relationship."

For what it’s worth, Terry is another player who was developed by West Ham before moving onto bigger things…