Declan Rice gives Chelsea two-second audition that proves why he's the perfect Jorginho heir

For whatever this summer's transfer window may actually hold for Chelsea after the upcoming takeover, just let me dream for a moment about signing Declan Rice.

The English midfielder has been a long-term target for the Blues in recent seasons, and before the chaos that engulfed Stamford Bridge last month, there was a hope this summer might be the one to clinch Rice's signature.

The 23-year-old has reached new levels of midfield play this season, with his manager David Moyes proclaiming his value should be around £150m, with many top clubs joining a growing queue. His display against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday further showcased why.

Declan Rice has already named his dream Chelsea team-mate after Jack Wilshere transfer plea

Rice was his usually accomplished self despite his side going down to 10-men before the interval. Achieving a 100 per cent take-on success rate, having 66 touches, racking up the most interceptions and possession won on the night.

But it was one two-second moment in the first half of the evening that showcased what Chelsea's midfield lacked against Real Madrid the previous night.

Latching onto a clearance after Said Benrahma had an effort saved by Anthony Lopez, Rice could choose a safer pass to either side, where both West Ham fullbacks Aaron Cresswell and Ryan Fredericks are in space.

The pass keeps the tempo of the attack alive and does not allow Lyon to easily reorganise by looking back towards his own goal and recycling possession. The issue for Chelsea was that when Jorginho picked up the ball on several occasions, that quicker pass wasn't being made.

Although many will point to his superb cross for Kai Havertz's 40th-minute header, from a deeper position when Chelsea looked to