Bayern Munich and Juventus are reportedly prepared to hand a £400,000-a-week deal to Chelsea’s defensive stalwart Antonio Rudiger.
A recent report from Mirror has offered an update on Antonio Rudiger’s situation at Chelsea. The defender’s future has become a subject of major discussion in the transfer market with his current contract at Stamford Bridge expiring at the end of the season.
Chelsea have already offered Rudiger a potential extension worth around £130,000 a week. But the German defender is ready to listen to offers from other European giants, with Bayern Munich and Juventus interested in his services. They are even preparing a bumper contract offer that could see Rudiger earning as much as £400,000 a week.
It would make the German international one of the highest-paid defenders in the history of football, giving him a higher payout than current Chelsea superstar Romelu Lukaku. As such, it appears the Blues themselves have prepared for life without the former Stuttgart centre-back next season, having already started scouring the market for defensive reinforcements.
Juventus’ interest in Rudiger, in fact, could serve as a potential boost for the reigning European champions as they have been linked with a swoop for Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutchman was even reportedly made the priority transfer target for Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who is desperate for new faces at the back amid the uncertain future of his star player.
In addition to Rudiger, Chelsea are indeed facing precarious situations elsewhere, with Thiago Silva in line to leave Stamford Bridge after the end of the season if he is not handed a new deal while Cesar Azpilicueta is in the final phase of his career as well.
It accentuates the need for not only one but at least two new faces in the defensive department, either in January or next summer. While de Ligt is a target for Chelsea, another option could be Bayern Munich’s Niklas Sule, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
The Bavarians certainly would not mind offloading the former Hoffenheim starlet if they can get their hands on Rudiger, so it will be interesting to see whether Chelsea can facilitate any kind of a direct swap deal in the upcoming January transfer window.
However, it is fair to point out that Bayern Munich are extremely unlikely to actually offer a £400,000 a week contract to Rudiger. It goes against their transfer and wage policy, which could affect Rudiger’s chances of returning to his homeland. He had previously played for VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund (youth team) in the Bundesliga.
