Chelsea outcast could join West Ham in swap transfer after being snubbed in friendly match

West Ham were thought to have made enquiries earlier this year for the striker but Batshuayi is out of contract next summer so the Hammers are unwilling to pay a large fee.

Instead, The Athletic suggest the Belgian could be used in a player-plus-cash offer in order to secure the signing of Rice.

A new central midfielder is a low priority for Chelsea in the upcoming window but Rice is thought to be on the club’s radar and would supposedly cost between £50m and £60m.

The Blues would therefore have to shell out a significant sum in addition to Batshuayi, but the financial strain would be less – an important consideration in a market impacted by the coronavirus crisis.

However, it is pointed out that Batshuayi’s time-keeping and tactical knowledge are all potential issues that would put teams off investing in the Chelsea ace.

source: express.co.uk