Chelsea may reportedly still have hope of keeping star defender Antonio Rudiger, according to the latest transfer news from reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Although the Blues are running out of time to keep hold of Rudiger, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, it seems Bayern Munich are one big name who are out of the running to sign the Germany international due to his wage demands.
Romano claims that Bayern cannot even afford to sign Rudiger as a free agent, so that’s one less club for Chelsea to worry about, while the Italian reporter adds that the 28-year-old still hasn’t made a final decision on the offer he has from his current club anyway…
Despite last days rumours, Toni Rüdiger's not even an option for FC Bayern as free agent. His salary demands are too high for German club – not interested at current conditions. ?? #FCBayern
The final decision on the Chelsea contract proposal has not yet been made. #CFC pic.twitter.com/9FCt4GQ1oR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 10, 2022
Chelsea fans will surely be desperate to see Rudiger stay at Stamford Bridge, but it perhaps doesn’t look too hopeful after contract talks have dragged on for so long.
It’s a hugely precarious position for CFC to be in, with Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta’s futures also uncertain as they will also be out of contract in the summer.
Chelsea surely have to do whatever it takes to avoid the disaster of losing all three players at once without even bringing in any money from their departures.
Of those three, Rudiger is probably the most important, so it’s at least slightly encouraging that he doesn’t seem to have ruled out staying just yet.