Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has spoken about his contract situation with the Premier League leaders.
Rudiger, who was on the peripheral at Chelsea under Frank Lampard, has been one of the finest defenders in world football this calendar year.
Unfortunately for the Blues, his contract is due to expire in the summer of 2022, meaning he is just two months away from being free to negotiate pre-contract agreements.
On the back of the hugely successful year he’s had, you imagine there’d be no shortage of interest in signing Rudiger, who is also a key figure for the German national team.
However, it sounds as though Rudiger will take some convincing to leave Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old sounds as though he’s content with life as it is now, as he told the Guardian.
“The most important thing is that I feel happy here. I think if people look at it, they can see I’m happy.”
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The combative defender appears to be keen to distance himself from the talk surrounding his contract. Speaking to the Guardian, he insists it’s a matter for his agent and the club.
“About the contract situation, I talk with the club. This is for nobody’s ears. It was how I said it would be after the Euros – there would be talks.”
“There was a talk between Marina [Granovskaia, a Chelsea director] and my agent. We have the situation where we are at now and I have nothing to do with all the speculation.”
“This is not in my mind. I’m focused on what I’m doing because this is why I wake up every morning.”
Speculation surrounding Rudiger’s future has been intensifying, but the player himself sounds relaxed. Chelsea fans don’t appear to have anything to fear just yet.
That said, Rudiger is not the only Blues defender out of contract in the summer. Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Thiago Silva’s futures are all also unresolved…