The January transfer window is now well under way but Chelsea are yet to bring in any new faces as they chase down Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Only three new faces were brought in during the summer window in the shape of Romelu Lukaku, Saul Niguez and Marcus Bettinelli.
It is widely reported that the midfield is one area Thomas Tuchel is eager to bolster going forward, with a number of high-profile names being linked with a Stamford Bridge swap.
Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham have both been linked with moves in recent months but West Ham's Declan Rice has been a top target for even longer.
Previously a member of the Blues' Cobham academy, Rice left for the Hammers as a teenager and has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the Premier League's standout midfield talents.
This week saw the 22-year-old exchange messages with best friend and Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.
The duo are famously friends from their days playing together in the Blues' academy and that friendship has only grown stronger as each continues to improve.
Monday saw Mount celebrate his 23rd birthday and Rice was always going to send a message.
Writing alongside a series of photos of the duo on Instagram, Rice said: "MM my brother. Happy Birthday! Big Love."
"That's bro!" Mount replied in the comments.
West Ham have previously valued Rice at £100 million but more recent reports indicate that the Hammers may drop their valuation ahead of the summer window.
However, a report from Goal has suggested that Tuchel only wants to sign of Rice or Tchouameni going forward.
This is to allow Conor Gallagher a route into the first-team following his impressive loan spell with Crystal Palace.
