Liverpool have stepped up their interest in West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, according to journalist Simon Phillips (via CaughtOffside.com)

The reporter claims that the Reds are expected to challenge Chelsea and other Premier League teams for the England international’s signature next summer.

Rice has refused to sign a contract extension but he will still effectively have two years remaining on his current deal at the end of the season.

It means that the Hammers can expect to receive a sizeable amount for the 23-year-old if they do choose to offload the player.

A fee in excess of £120m is likely to be demanded for Rice, but, if Liverpool don’t qualify for the Champions League, it’s hard to see why the midfielder would choose to join them. He has previously said that one of his key motivations is to play in Europe’s top competition so he would probably look to sign for a team who would give him that opportunity.