Chelsea transfer guru Marina Granovskaia has reportedly sanctioned one January deal after the Blues splashed the cash in the summer.
The likes of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy all arrived in a summer which saw Chelsea spend over £200million on new players.
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But one player consistently linked with Chelsea – Declan Rice – is seen as the missing piece of the puzzle by Frank Lampard.
The versatile England international can play as a holding midfielder or at centre-back and despite West Ham boss David Moyes warning that it would take the “Bank of England” to prise Rice away, it is the one deal Granovskaia has given the green light to complete.
The Athletic claim that Rice is the only player on a short shortlist for Lampard and Chelsea when the transfer window opens in January.
The West Ham star was released by the Blues academy in 2014 and fits the mould for the exact type of player they are looking to recruit.
The midfielder has yet to reach his peak and he would be an investment for many years to come.