Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara believes Chelsea should replace N'Golo Kante with Declan Rice.

O'Hara supports speculation that Chelsea are willing to sell Kante and bring their former junior Rice back to the club from West Ham.

He told talkSPORT: "If Chelsea have the opportunity to bring in Declan Rice now and get rid of N'Golo Kante, it has to happen.

“Is he an upgrade on Kante? 100 per cent.

“He is not the finished article but what you've got is the potential – he is 21 years of age, he is already playing for England and he is arguably the best defensive midfielder England have got right now.

“Alright, he has not done what N'Golo Kante has done but, in my mind, he is going to be a better player.

“He gives more to the team in terms of the way Chelsea want to play, he receives it on the half turn and wants to play it forward.

“He's like Michael Carrick. For me, he is the Michael Carrick that Manchester United had when they dominated and he was underrated at that club – that's what Rice is.

“Declan Rice can go to Chelsea and be the Michael Carrick of that era."