Reports in England claim that some of Chelsea’s chiefs are not convinced by two of Frank Lampard’s top transfer targets.

The Blues have been heavily linked with West Ham’s Declan Rice and Leicester’s Ben Chilwell but there are doubts around their suitability in the West Londoners’ higher ranks.

Rice, 21, could cost up to £70million with the Hammers determined not to lose the former Chelsea trainee, who spent eight years at Cobham.

The England international captained West Ham on several occasions in June, spending the vast bulk of the season in midfield for the east London outfit. Yet Lampard thinks he can blossom into a top-tier central defender at Chelsea.

Athletic journalist David Ornstein told Tifo’s podcast: “We know of their interest in Chilwell but I don’t think everybody is convinced at Chelsea about the fee that it will take to prise him out of Leicester’s hands, maybe around £50m.

“In central defence, we know that Lampard is very fond of Rice at West Ham and would like to convert him from a midfielder into a top centre-back.

“West Ham will demand an incredibly high fee, sources have suggested in the region of £65m to £70m, they don’t need to sell and they’re in a strong position contractually.

“I don’t think everybody at Chelsea is convinced by Declan Rice but it’s definitely one that Lampard wants.”