Antonio Rudiger has emerged as the latest target for Paris Saint-Germain as the defender braces himself for a Chelsea exit in January.
According to Le Parisien, Antonio Rudiger could be on the verge of leaving Stamford Bridge next month, with a host of top clubs across Europe vying for his services. PSG have recently become the latest club to be linked with a move for the Chelsea centre-back as they look to reinforce their defensive department in January.
Although Rudiger has had a disappointing 2020/21 campaign so far, failing to even establish himself as a regular fixture in the Chelsea first-team, it appears he has been identified as an ideal player who can strengthen the overall depth of the French champions.
AC Milan have also been linked with a move for Rudiger for similar reasons, especially following the injuries to two of their premier centre-backs in Matteo Gabbia and Simon Kjaer. The Rossoneri, who have a great chance of sealing the Serie A title this season, could, in fact, provide stiff competition to PSG as well as Juventus in the pursuit of the German international in the upcoming January transfer window.
There has already been growing a contingent of German footballers in PSG in recent years, and there is a possibility Rudiger could follow the footsteps of players like Julian Draxler and Kevin Trapp, both of who had moved to the French capital over the last five years.
From a sporting perspective, however, the experienced centre-back could provide some much-needed competition for Presnel Kimpembe and Abdou Diallo, who has also struggled with a host of fitness problems since joining from Borussia Dortmund. The addition of Rudiger could allow Thomas Tuchel to deploy Marquinhos in the holding midfield role.
As for Chelsea, they will be keen on offloading the German who has featured in just 90 minutes of league football so far this campaign. The 27-year-old clearly doesn’t have any future at Stamford Bridge, having fallen behind the likes of Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma and Cesar Azpilicueta in the pecking order.
As a matter of fact, Rudiger’s departure from Chelsea could serve as a potential financial boost for the club as they look to add more quality to their side. The Blues have recently been linked with a move for Bayern Munich’s contract rebel David Alaba.
However, it is fair to point out that PSG’s move for Rudiger could hinge on the future of Tuchel, who has come under heavy scrutiny. The latest reports suggest that the German tactician could be sacked following an underwhelming start to the campaign, which could serve as a major boost for AC Milan and Juventus should they follow up with their reported interest on the Chelsea centre-back this January.
