West Ham captain Declan Rice is believed to be wanted by Liverpool in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Rice leaving West Ham?

The future of the Hammers star has been one of football's biggest talking points this season, with so many clubs eyeing up a move for him at the end of the campaign. The £60,000-a-week midfielder's current deal expires next year, meaning this will be the last opportunity for the east Londoners to receive huge money for his signature.

While West Ham will clearly be desperate for Rice to extend his stay at the London Stadium, it looks increasingly as though he has reached the end of his time at the club. He has made 240 appearances for the Hammers, but now could be his chance to join one of the biggest clubs in the country.

Liverpool are looking closely at various midfield targets this summer, following issues in that area all season long, and the 41-cap England international has been linked with a move to Anfield.

Could Liverpool sign Rice this summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Galetti claimed that Rice is one of the Reds' two main midfield transfer targets this summer, along with Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister:

"Liverpool have several names on their midfielder list. At the top, certainly, is Declan Rice and Alexis Mac Allister. The first preliminary contacts have begun with both West Ham and Brighton. For both players, the competition is fierce."

Interestingly, the midfielder has been described as the potential "transfer of the summer" and it's hard to disagree with so many clubs interested in him at this stage and the quality he brings at a relatively young age. Liverpool could be perfect for the Hammers skipper, with his technical ability, leadership and defensive qualities helping solve what has been a problematic area at Anfield all season long. He could even be viewed as a direct replacement for international teammate Jordan Henderson, who has now drifted past his peak.

FSG certainly mean business this summer if the claim above is true, as Rice himself is reported to have a price tag of around £100m and Mac Allister possibly costing more than £70m, so to already be in talks over potential deals is quite the early statement.

What will be the feelings at West Ham after this Declan Rice transfer update?

Losing Rice does feel like a given this summer, with the England international outgrowing West Ham, despite still giving his all week in, week out. He deserves to be playing Champions League football, such is his brilliance as a footballer - former Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley has hailed him as both "unbelievable" and "world-class" recently, and he has averaged 2.3 tackles and one key pass per game in the league this season - and he has the potential to become one of Europe's most dominant midfielders over time.

West Ham supporters will still be clinging to the hope that Rice suddenly changes his mind and decides to sign a new deal, given his love for the club. Realistically, though, they need to make peace with the fact that he will move on to pastures new, with the club spending the money received for him wisely this summer, in order to fill the void left by him.