Chelsea are reportedly set to pip Arsenal in order to land highly rated Wolfsburg defender Ricardo Rodriguez.
The Sun are claiming that Chelsea are interested in bringing Wolfsburg defender Ricardo Rodriguez over to Stamford Bridge. The Swiss international has been linked to the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and even Manchester United in the recent past. But, it seems the Blues are now primed to beat their rivals and secure the signature of the highly-rated 24-year-old.
Ricardo Rodriguez is a Swiss international who made the switch from FC Zurich over to Wolfsburg in 2012 and has since established himself as a key member of first-team setup for Die Wolves and the Swiss national setup. The 24-year-old has featured in all but one of the club’s 16 Bundesliga fixtures up until now, with a return of 2 goals and 2 assists to show for his cause.
As the aforementioned numbers suggest, the player contributes to both the defensive and attacking aspect of Wolfsburg’s playing style. Add to that his undeniable ability from dead-ball situations and the 24-year-old is a complete package. His physicality means he is likely to be a perfect fit to handle the rigours of the Premier League.
Time to prove his mettle in England? (Picture Courtesy – AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal have an aging Nacho Monreal as their first-choice left-back while Kieran Gibbs, the backup option is speculated to leave the club, with the Englishman yet to sign an extension on his deal that expires at the end of the current season.
Manchester United’s rumours have taken a backseat with the Red Devils targeting other promising options available on the market. But Chelsea have retained interest in the 24-year-old, despite the arrival of Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina.
There is a general consensus that, even after the arrival of Alonso and the current domineering run that the Blues are on, there is a dearth of cover at the wing-back positions and Ricardo Rodriguez could very well serve as an upgrade on Alonso.
The 24-year-old had earlier explained his decision to snub Arsenal and Chelsea in the summer but could agree to a move away from Die Wolfe, based on their current struggles to even reach the top half of the Bundesliga table.
The Sun report that Chelsea are looking to secure a £21 million transfer for Rodriguez to bring him over to Stamford Bridge. The 24-year-old’s current deal expires in 2019 and the aforementioned fee would represent value for money for both Wolfsburg and Chelsea.
Rodriguez has often been termed as a player perfectly suitable to Premier League and it would be intriguing to see how he shall perform, if he does decide to move to England.
