Declan Rice has already given transfer verdict amid Man Utd decision and Chelsea ‘prefer’ claim

West Ham United star Declan Rice reportedly remains keen on a move to Premier League rivals Chelsea, despite the off-field troubles currently being experienced by the Stamford Bridge club.

The England midfielder has been one of the shining lights in an impressive season for the Hammers as they made their way into the last eight of the Europa League and still have an outside chance of securing a Champions League place.

Rice has built on a series of solid displays during England’s run to the Euro 2020 final last summer and has continued to attract attention from a number of clubs at home and abroad.

Chelsea have been long-term admirers and retain an interest in taking the 23-year-old back to Stamford Bridge nine years after he was released by their academy.

However, the current Champions League holders are unable to function in the transfer market after owner Roman Abramovich was placed under sanctions by the UK government and disqualified as a club director by the Premier League.

A takeover process is underway with a consortium fronted by Todd Boehly and a bid involving Josh Harris and David Blitzer said to be amongst the current front runners.

Manchester United are also interested in taking Rice to Old Trafford this summer - but the midfielder’s preference remains to return to Chelsea, according to the Evening Standard.

A fee of around £100m has been reported but Hammers boss David Moyes believes Rice could command a higher cost after his fine run of form.

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this season, Moyes said: “I think I’ve said everything there is to say about Declan. He’s a really important player for West Ham, he’s someone who we value greatly and you can see what he means to the team.

“He’s a really good individual and we’re enjoying having him. As an individual, he’s a really improving young man who’s gaining a lot of experience. He’s getting better and he learns an awful lot from Mark Noble.

“He should look at Harry Kane and Harry Maguire and all of those senior players he’s involved with for England, and take as much from them as he can, because in the future I’ve got no doubt he’s got a great chance of going on to be a future England captain. We’re really pleased to have him and he’s an impressive young man.”

When it comes to his own transfer verdict, Rice has already given his stance on his future by laying out his career aims.

Rice said: "I think the main one for me, and I have always said it, is that I don't want to have a career where I've not won nothing," Rice told The Overlap, speaking to former United defender Gary Neville.

"I have grown up as a kid and seen all these top players win the big trophies, like yourself [Neville], who won the Premier League so many times and the Champions League.

"Me as a football fan, and also as a player, I want to win the best stuff. I want to win the Premier League - I want to lift that trophy.

"I also want to win the Champions League. I want to win the FA Cup and the League Cup, even stuff with England. I want to win it all.

"As a footballer, if you have not got that ambition I don't know why you're playing. They are the best moments of your life when you win those types of trophies.

"I want to have those experiences of winning trophies and being the best that I can be."