Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of completing their swoop for Roma defender Antonio Rudiger after his agents arrived in London on Saturday.
Antonio Conte has faced a frustrating wait for new arrivals at Stamford Bridge this summer as despite winning the Premier League title last season, there is work to be done.
With Chelsea back in the Champions League this coming season, they need quality and more importantly depth in various departments and it appears as though they’re finally going to kick their transfer market off.
According to Sky Sports, Rudiger’s agents have arrived in England to finalise his £34m move to Chelsea from Roma, with the 24-year-old at an advanced stage in terms of discussions over personal terms.
Should everything go smoothly as expected, he’ll become the second summer signing for the Blues, following Willy Caballero who arrived on a free transfer last month.
However, this is more of a key addition as Rudiger’s defensive qualities and versatility will ensure he has an important role to play next season, with Chelsea hoping to defend their crown and make an impression in Europe.
The German international suffered a serious knee injury ahead of Euro 2016, but he has bounced back and has put two solid seasons together at Roma to help them finish in the top three in Serie A on both occasions.
However, it appears as though he’ll now face a new challenge in England, where he’ll be tasked with being a key defensive figure for Chelsea who saw John Terry depart at the end of last season, while Nathan Ake was sold to Bournemouth.
Conte will hope that this is just the start of a busy transfer spell, but it’s a good way to start things off at least as Rudiger will be important.