Chelsea have been handed a major boost towards finally securing Declan Rice's signature in the summer, as West Ham seemingly edge closer to losing the 22-year-old.
Rice, who has been subject to interest from the Blues since becoming a mainstay for the Hammers, sent David Moyes' side an encrypted message ahead of the January transfer window that could now hint at where his future lies at the end of the season.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, the England international expressed his desire to play in the Champions League following investment in West Ham from Daniel Kretinsky.
However, the east Londoners failed to answer Rice's plea for a sign of ambition in the winter window, hampering Moyes' chances of not only guiding West Ham to a historic top-four finish but, more importantly, holding onto the most sought-after midfielder in Europe.
In light of the Czech billionaire's investment, Rice said: "Yeah, hopefully, the club can get in the Champions League and my ambition, of course, is that I want to play in the Champions League as well. Hopefully, the club can keep pushing."
Marina Granovskaia, Chelsea's transfer chief, must monitor the situation at the London Stadium, with West Ham's lack of transfer activity sending a clear message to Rice about the club's ambitions.
However, the Blues must be wary; the Hammers' lack of activity in January by no means guarantees that they will miss out on Europe but only hinders their chances of fulfilling their potential.
Tuchel and the board were in agreement with the decision to deviate away from the constructs of 'spending big' in January and instead prioritise a summer overhaul, reported by The Athletic.
The report claims that Chelsea has already begun drawing up a list of targets, including Rice, as the west Londoners follow up a failed attempt to sign the midfielder in the summer.
According to The Athletic, their pursuit of Rice hit the buffers once they discovered West Ham's £100m valuation, a price considered too 'steep' by the European champions.
However, football.london understands that it could take more than the original touted £100m to even tempt the east London outfit into selling their most prized asset.
In accordance with Chelsea's growing interest, West Ham looked plotted a deadline day move for Kalvin Phillips, as per The Sun.
A deal didn't come to fruition, but the Hammers' interest certainly raised suspicions.
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