PSG, Real Madrid or Man Utd - Where will Rudiger end up playing his football next season?
Stefan Bienkowski
- Updated: 17 Feb 2022 21:13 GMT
- 6 min read
The January transfer window has come and gone but Chelsea fans are no closer to knowing whether star defender Antonio Rudiger will stay at the club.
The Germany international has formed a pivotal role in Thomas Tuchel’s side and was crucial to the club winning the Champions League last season.
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Although the Stamford Bridge side are now out of the race for the Premier League, there are still trophies up for grabs this season and Rudiger will be vital to Chelsea challenging for them.
So will the central defender be staying put in the summer or will he part ways with the London club when his contract comes to an end?
Chelsea
While Rudiger may still be putting on good performances every week, the situation at the club hasn’t really changed: the defender still hasn’t signed a new contract.
According to reports in England, the player is currently on a deal that earns him £90,000 per week and was offered a contract improvement that would see him then earn £140,000 per week.
However, prior to the turn of the year Rudiger apparently turned down such an offer and is demanding no less than £200,000 per week to stay at Chelsea.
This week, Sky Sports reported that discussions between the player and the club had completely stalled and that there had been no further talks over a new contract.
Whether or not the club will accept such demands and make Rudiger one of their highest paid players remains to be seen, but since January the defender has been able to speak to other clubs and compare offers.
Real Madrid
If Rudiger does decide to leave Chelsea in the summer, it seems as though Real Madrid have positioned themselves as the favourites to sign the central defender.
According to the Guardian, the Spanish giants have already held positive talks with the Chelsea star since the January window, with every intention of signing him for free at the end of the season.
Despite pleading poverty during the Super League debacle, Madrid have money to play with this summer after refusing to spend big on transfers over the past two or three years and letting a number of high-profile and well-paid stars leave in the summer.
As such, the Spanish club could offer Rudiger better terms than Chelsea and potentially a new challenge which may entice him more than staying put in London.
Paris Saint-Germain
One club that have the means and intention to ruin Madrid’s summer plans are undoubtedly Paris Saint-Germain, who have also been linked with a move for the Germany international.
Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, the French giants hope to “hijack” Madrid’s plans to sign Rudiger in the summer by blowing them out of the water with their own offer.
PSG are certainly in need of some additional talent in the centre of their defence and if the club can convince Rudiger that they’re better suited to challenge for future Champions League titles, it may prove to be enough to see Rudiger make the move to France in the summer.
Manchester United
One English club that may throw their hat into the ring for Rudiger’s signature are Manchester United, who now have a notable advantage over their competitors when it comes to convincing the player to leave Chelse
According to Germany newspaper BILD, new Man Utd manager Ralf Rangnick has a strong working relationship with Rudiger’s agent and half brother Sahr Senesie and could get a direct line to the player in a bid to make him consider a move to Old Trafford.
Man Utd are nowhere near Chelsea’s level in terms of challenging for silverware at the moment, but if Rudiger can be convinced that things are changing fast under Rangnick, a move to Manchester can’t entirely be ruled out just yet.
