Declan Rice to join Chelsea for £12m from Tottenham

Updated:2026-02-28 06:33    Views:176

Declan Rice has agreed a deal to move to Chelsea, with the midfielder joining the club on a four-year contract.

The England international was heavily linked with a move away from Spurs in recent weeks and talks were ongoing when it was announced that he had agreed personal terms with the Blues.

Rice's move is a significant coup for the London side, who have struggled to replace N'Golo Kante at the heart of their defence this season.

The 23-year-old has been part of the England set-up since his debut for the Under-19s in 2016 and made his senior debut last year against Bulgaria.

He was also named in the PFA Young Player of the Year team after helping Spurs win promotion to the Premier League and playing a key role in their successful run to the Europa League final.

Rice's arrival will be a boost for manager Thomas Tuchel, who is looking to strengthen his defensive options ahead of the new campaign.

Chelsea have already signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli and are expected to make further additions in the transfer window.

Rice's move could also see him become just the second player to play for both Tottenham and Chelsea in the same season, following the example of former player and current manager Mauricio Pochettino.

With the Blues currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table, they will be hoping that Rice can help them to push for a top-four finish and potentially even a Champions League place next term.

In summary, Declan Rice's move to Chelsea is a major signing for the London side, with the midfielder joining on a four-year contract after agreeing personal terms with the Blues. The move comes as a boost for the team's defence and manager Thomas Tuchel, and could also see him become just the second player to play for both Tottenham and Chelsea in the same season. With the Blues currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table, they will be hoping that Rice can help them to push for a top-four finish and potentially even a Champions League place next term.