More and more clubs are looking to free transfers to bolster their squads. Real Madrid did it last summer when they took David Alaba from Bayern Munich, and are trying to repeat the trick this coming close season by taking Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea according to a report in Marca. Bayern, however, are also interested in the German centre-back.
Alaba has hit the ground running at the Santiago Bernabeu, and Rudiger would similarly offer as close a guarantee to success as one could get. The 28-year-old is an elite centre-back, comfortable on the ball but also able to operate with bite and tenacity when needed. He’d be an immediate upgrade on Eder Militao and could build a fruitful relationship with Alaba.
Rudiger wants to earn €12m per season, something Chelsea aren’t willing to match at this moment in time. Bayern are said to be willing to pay him that, and are Madrid’s biggest rivals in the battle for his signature. Much will depend on Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman is another soon-to-be free agent. If Madrid finally land him, it could restrict their financial wiggle room and enable Bayern to steal a march on them.
