Liverpool and Manchester United may now have the edge over Chelsea and Manchester City in the battle to sign West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, according to 90min.com.

The Premier League champions have not previously been mentioned as potential suitors for the England international but it is believed they are interested if the Hammers vice-captain becomes available for the right price.

Previous reports had suggested that Rice would favour a move to Chelsea but there is now an additional factor in play. 90min.com claim the 22-year-old wants to continue his playing career in midfield, while the Blues and City believe his future lies at centre-back.

Liverpool and United, in contrast, are only interested in him as a holding midfield player which may, therefore, give them a slight advantage. Much, though, will still depend on West Ham and the price tag they set.

For a long time now, the Irons have been holding out for £70m but there are now claims this could drop to £50m in the summer due to the financial impact of the global health crisis. If that asking price proves to be accurate, it would then lead to a four-team battle for Rice.