West Ham United are facing a Catch-22 position over the long-term future of Declan Rice with the club unable to offer the midfielder a new contract that would be reflective of their £100million valuation of him.

The Hammers are yet to hold fresh talks with Rice over a new deal, despite the investment of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, and know they will face a battle to keep the England international if they cannot qualify for the Champions League.

West Ham are fourth in the Premier League table, but have taken only one point from their last three games, ahead of Saturday’s visit of leaders Chelsea when head coach Thomas Tuchel will get his first close-up look at Rice.

As first reported by Telegraph Sport in the summer, Rice turned down two offers of a new deal as he waits to see whether or not West Ham can match his ambition of playing in the Champions League and winning trophies.

West Ham’s two offers were, unsurprisingly, nowhere near the deal worth up to £380,000-a-week that Manchester City gave Jack Grealish, when he became the first British £100m footballer, although Rice’s ambition is not money-motivated.

Rice’s contract has two-and-a-half years remaining on it and West Ham have the option of extending it for a further year. The club are willing to make him the highest-paid player in their history, but are aware that they cannot get close to the figures that Grealish earns or that Rice would be guaranteed by leaving for anywhere around £100m.

West Ham have not received an offer for Rice, but Frank Lampard wanted to take him back to Chelsea last summer, when the Stamford Bridge club were viewed as the most likely destination for the England international who was released by the club as a 14-year-old.

There has since been interest from Manchester City, Manchester United and, most lately, from Germany with the 22-year-old open to the prospect of playing overseas one day.

Tuchel admires the qualities of Rice, but the German is yet to see him up close after the West Ham star missed the visit of Chelsea to the London Stadium last season with a knee injury.

“I am absolutely aware that he is a Chelsea boy and he comes through the academy, and he is very close to our guys,” said Tuchel. “He’s a very strong player and, in general, I am absolutely impressed by (Tomas) Soucek and him. 

“They are real helpers on the pitch. They take responsibility for high pressing, for deep defending, for filling the gaps on the wings, for deep build up, for goals from set pieces. Both of them are simply doing everything. Declan is an important member of the England team, so it speaks for itself. Very strong in build up and very intelligent in passing.”

Given he has been taken off at half-time in each of his two Premier League starts, it is hard to imagine a scenario in which on-loan midfielder Saul Niguez is signed permanently at the end of the season but a move for Rice is currently not a given, either.

Chelsea have Conor Gallagher, who coaches believe shares similar qualities to N’Golo Kante, on loan at Crystal Palace and Billy Gilmour, who is more akin to Jorginho, on loan at Norwich City. The Blues believe both players can have futures at the club.