Barclays Premier League champions Chelsea have made attempts to strengthen their squad by lining up a deal for Germany defender Antonio Rudiger from Bundesliga outfit VfB Stuttgart, the Metro reports.
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Rudiger reportedly has a £7.1million release clause in his contract and is thought to be attracting the interest of a host of clubs around Europe but Blues manager Jose Mourinho is said to be very keen on swooping for the 22-year-old.
He made his senior debut for the national side back in October in a European Championship qualifier against Poland and has made 19 appearances for a Stuttgart side that narrowly avoided relegation from the Bundesliga this season.
The transfer could be seen as a long-term replacement for club captain John Terry, who turns 35 in December.
Despite his magnificent performances at the heart of the Chelsea defence during the campaign, it is unlikely that he will be able to continue playing at the highest level for too much longer.