Word stemming from the media on Sunday suggests that Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has opted to turn down a lucrative offer from one of the club’s Premier League rivals.
The name of German international Rudiger, of course, has taken its place front and centre in the headlines across the week to date.
This comes with the former AS Roma man understood to have come to a decision on his future, ahead of the expiration of his contract in west London this coming summer.
As per a host of reliable sources, Rudiger has opted to take his talents to Spain, primed to put pen to paper on a pre-contract agreement with Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid.
Antonio Rüdiger will leave Chelsea on a free transfer as he can’t wait more than 2 months for new owners. No bid on the table. He’s always been respectful – but it’s time for a new challenge. It’s over. ? #CFC
…Real Madrid are close to find an agreement to sign Rüdiger. ⚪️⏳
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 23, 2022
As alluded to above, though, the German’s call on swapping the English capital for its Spanish equivalent actually only came after Rudiger opted to knock back the advances of a rival Premier League club.
The outfit in question? Manchester United.
As per a report from Christian Falk of German outlet BILD, the in-demand stopper rebuffed a proposal worth a whopping €10 million net-per-year from United, ‘out of respect for Chelsea’:
TRUE✅ @ToniRuediger will leave @ChelseaFC this summer. he turned down an offer of @ManUtd with a salary of 10 Mio net per year out of respect for Chelsea. an agreement with @realmadrid is expected within the next week @altobelli13
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) April 24, 2022
Hammers clash
The latest word on Rudiger’s future of course comes with the 29-year-old having missed out once more on Sunday, as his Chelsea teammates returned to action in a Premier League meeting with West Ham.
Inside the closing ten minutes of action at Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel’s troops have been left frustrated once more, though, with the scoreline locked at 0-0 amid a clash which has seen clear-cut chances few and far between.
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