Transfer News: PSG, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur interested in Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger this summer
According to Sport (h/t Football.London), Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and PSG are following the situation of Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger. His current contract will expire at the end of the season and these clubs could look to swoop in for his services.
The German international has been a sturdy presence at the back for the Stamford Bridge outfit. He has grown in prominence since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel and cemented his place in the starting XI. The 29-year-old centre-back has made 195 appearances, bagging 12 goals and seven assists across all competitions for the Blues to date.
His physical prowess and defensive acumen are valuable assets for any club to have. He has commanded the defensive setup beautifully and his experience at the elite level is complemented by his composure on the ball. That being said, Rudiger also has a knack for scoring important goals for the Blues.
Is it the last of Rudiger?
There seems to be a greater sense of uncertainty with each passing day regarding the long-term future of the German international. This situation is even worse considering that Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta could also depart the club at the end of the season.
Should such a defensive exodus take place, we would be strained for options at the back. While Thiago Silva brings in a lot of experience, asking him to fill in regularly at 37 could be too physically exhausting considering that we play on multiple fronts throughout the campaign.
Trevoh Chalobah has shown great promise this season, but at 22, it could be too much of a burden to throw him into regular first-team action. Keeping all of this in mind, the club would be wise to get in a few new faces at the back to safeguard the club’s long-term interests.
It will be interesting to see how our potential new owners will tackle this situation. At 29, the former AS Roma player is still in the prime of his career and his experience adds another dimension to his game. Whether the clubs put an offer on the table that Rudiger can’t refuse is something only time can tell.
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Rudiger has won the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Super Cup with the Blues. Should he depart the club at the end of the 2021-22 season, it won’t be easy to fill those boots.
Losing him on a free transfer makes it an even tougher pill to swallow and it could still be made worse for us if he joins direct top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur or Manchester United- strengthening them further and weakening our depth in the process.