Paris Saint-Germain have opened negotiations with the agent of Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger ahead of a potential free transfer next summer.
The centre-back is about to enter the final six months of his Blues contract, but he has shown no desire to extend his deal with the Premier League giants.
Rudiger is currently on a weekly wage package of £110,000-per-week. He is eyeing a significant salary of around £400,000-per-week to prolong his stay.
The Blues’ hierarchy are unlikely to meet his wage demands. It appears his future could lie away from the west London club with his contract soon expiring.
The defender can negotiate terms with foreign clubs from January. Real Madrid have been tipped to sign him, but they look set to face competition.
According to Bild’s Christian Falk, PSG are also in the mix. They have already held talks with Sahr Senesie, the agent and brother of Rudiger.
Football Today verdict:
Rudiger’s career with the Blues was in doubt during the first half of last season, where he was out-of-favour under then-manager Frank Lampard.
However, his fortunes changed in mid-January after Thomas Tuchel replaced Lampard as the head coach. Rudiger has since been a consistent starter.
The German has established himself as a key player on the left side of a three-man backline. He has also chipped in with valuable goal contributions.
The centre-back recently won two penalties against Leeds United as the Blues secured a 3-2 Premier League triumph.
Tuchel has spoken publicly about his desire to keep Rudiger, but he appears set to move on with his apparent desire to land a big paycheck.
He can’t be blamed, considering he will be 29-years-old next term. It could be his final big contract, and there are clubs overseas that are open to meeting his demands.
Despite this, Les Parisiens may need to be wary before handing a significant pay rise to the defender, given he has fared differently in a four-man backline.
Playing in a three-man central defence has negated his positional errors with the added defensive assurance. He may not have the same luxury at Parc des Princes.
