Real Madrid have reportedly reached a verbal agreement to sign Antonio Rudiger next summer.
Rudiger has arguably been the best centre-back on the planet this calendar year, with Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as Chelsea manager proving to be the best thing that ever happened to the German.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, Rudiger is out of contract next summer, with this surge into the elite bracket of defenders unlikely to make life easy for Marina Granovskaia at the negotiating table.
Rudiger will be free to negotiate pre-contract agreements with any interested parties when January comes around, and according to Todo Fichajes, Real Madrid have positioned themselves at the front of the queue.
The report by Todo Fichajes claims that Los Blancos already have a verbal agreement in place with Rudiger, with the Santiago Bernabeu currently looking like his most likely destination.
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We would suggest taking that with a pinch of salt. Rudiger, speaking to the press earlier in the international break, revealed that he is happy where he is and there was no suggestion of any eagerness to move.
Toni „Agent Rudi“ Rüdiger replied to the question if he would like to go to the Bundesliga in summer: “I feel good where I am now. so that fits.“ @ChelseaFC @FCBayern
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) October 5, 2021
The idea that he’d have reached a preliminary agreement to join Real Madrid this far in advance, with his season with Chelsea only just having got underway, is a little farfetched.
Rudiger does have a big decision to make, with this likely being the final lengthy and lucrative contract of his career, but it’s the kind of decision you wouldn’t make on a whim, even if it’s Real Madrid on the phone.