Manchester United monitor Chelsea superstar Antonio Rudiger amidst Harry Maguire concerns
According to The Mirror, Manchester United are keeping tabs on Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger amidst concerns over the future prospects of Harry Maguire.
Rudiger will become a free agent at the end of the current campaign if he does not sign a new contract in the coming months. Talks over an extension have not reached a conclusive stage just yet, and he will decide over his future only after this season. Man United are looking to take advantage of the situation and prise him away from the competition.
The 28-year-old is also admired by Red Devils’ German interim manager Ralf Rangnick. Maguire has struggled in the backline at Old Trafford recently, and his future is not safeguarded considering the struggles he has gone through.
Should we be wary?
The former AS Roma centre-back has become a fan favourite in a short period under Thomas Tuchel. He struggled to get going under Frank Lampard, but that has changed since the arrival of the ex-PSG boss. One could say that it was Tuchel who helped revive the defender’s career in West London.
It is certainly difficult to see Rudiger damage all the bonds he has created in West London for a move to Manchester, and that too for a club that has clearly trailed us in terms of success and challenging for trophies in the last 8 years. But then again, crazier things have happened in football.
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in securing the German’s services on a free transfer. He is touted to receive a salary package of up to £400,000-a-week if he decides to leave the Bridge. Us, meanwhile, have offered just half that amount- which is a major reason why a new deal hasn’t been signed yet.
Rudiger is arguably our best centre-back right now, at least on form, and we cannot afford to lose him, that too to a domestic rival. The contract situations surrounding Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta compound makes life even more difficult for Tuchel, with both of them also having less than six months left on their current deal with us.
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As such, Marina Granovskaia would be smart to agree on terms with Rudiger at the earliest so that we can divert our attention elsewhere to more pressing problems. After all, the risk of losing three top defensive players is worrisome for the fans, looking at how good our backline has been since January last year.