Rijo Sam Daniel
Manchester United on alert as Antonio Rudiger rejects new Chelsea contract offer
According to Daily Mail Online, Manchester United are keeping close tabs on the proceedings at Stamford Bridge as Antonio Rudiger rejects a new contract offer from Chelsea. The German’s future is far from resolved as we head into the business end of the season.
Rudiger will become a free agent next summer, which has attracted attention from across Europe. He rejected the latest deal worth around £200,000-per-week from the Blues’ side, giving a boost to the interested parties keeping tabs on developments. He had previously turned down a £140,000-per-week contract before the Blues made their improved offer.
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have shown an interest in signing the German, with Man United also keeping a close eye on the saga. The former duo has proposed pre-contract agreements to him in an attempt to prise him away on a free transfer. It remains to be seen whether the Red Devils will also add their names to the list.
Do we stand a chance?
The prospect of signing the 28-year-old is great to think about since we do need quality additions in the backline. After all, Phil Jones and Eric Bailly would need to be replaced if we have ambitions of putting together a squad capable of challenging for the title. Man United require a massive influx of quality in various areas, making this potential signing very interesting.
Being domestic rivals adds another obstacle in Man United’s path to landing the player. A fan favourite at Stamford Bridge, Rufiger could burn it all down should he move to a huge rival. Moreover, he owes a debt to Thomas Tuchel, who was responsible for resuscitating his stagnated career.
As a result, joining Real or PSG would be a much better prospect for him since he would not leave a sour taste among Chelsea fans. However, it would not hurt to try as stranger things have happened in football. But we should not waste our time on an impossible job if the board feels that to be the case.
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The German international currently earns a salary in the region of £100,000-per-week which is a far cry from what he could get if he leaves for free. He could earn as much as £400,000-per-week if bonuses and signing-on fees are included in the mix. Despite his quality, that is a huge financial load for any club to bear.
Our priority at the end of the season should be midfield signing since we have failed to win control in the middle of the pitch far too often. Plus, Paul Pogba is in a similar boat to Rudiger with his contract and we need to plan for life after him if he does not sign an extension. Our pursuit of the Chelsea ace should not endanger our priority for these reasons. Time will tell how this situation would pan out ahead of the summer transfer window.
