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Chelsea FC star Antonio Rüdiger is one of the most sought-after defenders in the world right now, with rumored suitors like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid linked to the Germany international.
With an expiring contract, Rüdiger is a very attractive option for several top clubs as the struggle to find an elite defender continues among Europe’s biggest clubs. Despite Chelsea being a strong contender in this year’s Premier League title race, the German defender is still exploring other options.
Last year Rüdiger won the Champions League with Chelsea and is now expecting a big pay raise next offseason. According to the Independent, Rüdiger’s move to Real Madrid is getting closer and closer. Sport Bild reports that the German defender is tempted to join Real Madrid, but has still not made a final decision.
Rüdiger is currently earning a salary of €6 million, and is not satisfied with Chelsea’s initial offer of €8.5 million. He wants to earn €10 million to €12 million, so the two parties are still far off from an agreement. Just to compare, David Alaba is earning €19.5 million a year at Real Madrid. You can now see why he would be so tempted to arrive in Spain.
| Real Madrid are now the favorites to sign Antonio Rudiger as a free agent in 2022, although reports about an informal agreement already in place are premature at the moment. @SJohnsonSport #rmalive pic.twitter.com/aJepEcVKQB
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) December 9, 2021
Despite the strong interest in Real, a move to Munich is not out of the question. Bayern Munich are still in the race and are interested, but first want to negotiation with Niklas Süle. Süle’s contract expires next summer and they’ll want to resolve that situation before looking towards Rüdiger. However, if Süle does move on from Bayern, Rüdiger should be their #1 target.
Despite the poor initial negotiations at Chelsea, there is still a chance he remains at Stamford Bridge. Thomas Tuchel wants the German defender to be a part of the team’s future. “Toni has established himself exceptionally since the first day we arrived. He is an absolute leader and plays at an unbelievably high level,” said Tuchel.
Will Rüdiger stay in London or start a new chapter somewhere else? We should find out soon in the upcoming months. Where do you think Rüdiger will end up? Let us know in the comments!
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