Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Chelsea and Germany centre-back Antonio Rudiger according to Marca.
Rudiger’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires this coming summer and he’s been identified as an excellent market opportunity by the powers-that-be at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Despite managing the pandemic well, Madrid don’t have that much cash to throw around. The club still need to be smart in the transfer market, like when they signed David Alaba on a free transfer from Bayern Munich last close-season.
Alaba was in search of a new challenge, but Rudiger’s reluctance to renew with Chelsea is to do with his place on the salary ladder at the club. He believes he should be considered more important than he currently is to the European champions.
Rudiger turns 29 in March, and is therefore in the prime of his career. He’d bring a bite and seniority to the Madrid defence that’s been missing it since the departure of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane to Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
Carlo Ancelotti currently has Alaba and Eder Militao as his two first-choice options at centre-back, with Nacho often deployed as a full-back and Jesus Vallejo not really considered starter quality. Rudiger would be a welcome addition.
