Are Chelsea Really Prepared To Let Antonio Rudiger Leave At The End Of The Season?

Only once has Antonio Rudiger missed a Premier League match this season. This illustrates just how important the German defender is to Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea side. It is therefore far from ideal that Rudiger is, as things stand, set to depart Stamford Bridge as a free agent at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Recent reports claim the 28-year-old has rejected Chelsea’s offer of a contract extension, generating speculation around his future with Manchester United and Real Madrid both believed to be interested. This isn’t surprising given Rudiger’s standing as one of the best central defenders in the game right now.

This uncertainty is a problem for Chelsea. With the summer transfer window approaching quickly, the Stamford Bridge club might have to devise a succession plan for one of their most important players sooner rather than later. It is, however, difficult to start that process without knowing for certain whether or not Rudiger is leaving.

“Everybody knows but there’s a lot of ‘if’ in your question. Let’s wait to see what becomes the reality,” Tuchel replied when asked to elaborate on Rudiger’s future and his thought process regarding a new contract. “Of course we are confident [of signing Rudiger to a new contract.]. We have things to offer and he is the player he is in a Chelsea shirt and in a Chelsea environment. I think he knows it very well.”

Were Rudiger a lesser player, Chelsea surely would have taken the decision out of the German’s hands by now. The Stamford Bridge club is one of the shrewdest around and doesn’t hesitate often in making bold calls in the transfer market. Reports state, for instance, that Chelsea are already looking to replace Cesar Azpilicueta with the Spaniard also set to leave as a free agent this summer.

The problem for Chelsea with Rudiger is they are unlikely to find a replacement as good as the German international should he depart the club. While Rudiger wasn’t a favourite of Frank Lampard’s, Tuchel made restoring the 28-year-old to the first team one of his first points of order as Chelsea manager and the Blues have never looked back. He has been exceptional over the last year or so.

Jules Kounde has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the past, but the Frenchman is a different sort of defender to Rudiger. The original idea was that Kounde would play alongside Rudiger in the Chelsea defence with the Sevilla man also capable of playing on the right side at the back. He would be a better replacement for Azpilicueta than Rudiger. 

Andreas Christensen will also be out of contract at the end of the season and so it’s possible Chelsea might have to rebuild their defensive ranks this summer. Is it reasonable to expect 37-year-old Thiago Silva to hold things together at the back for the Blues? This is another reason why Chelsea might decide to bow to Rudiger’s wage demands. They might not cope without him.