Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has warned Frank Lampard he could lose his best centre-back if he lets Antonio Rudiger leave.
The 27-year-old has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea this season, having arguably seen himself fall further behind in the pecking order following Thiago Silva’s arrival.
Lampard previously said Rudiger’s exclusion from recent matchday squads was a matter of choice and it was impossible to include all five centre-back options.
Stamford Bridge hero Hasselbaink has expressed his concerns over the decision, however, as he believes the Germany international should be one of the first names on the team sheet.
He told Sky Sports (via the Metro): “They’ve all made mistakes but for me their best centre-back is Rudiger.
“At the end of last season he didn’t have his best spell, he was out of the team, but if you look at a whole season he has done the best.
“He normally smells danger and clears it up. For Rudiger not to have played yet, something is going on.”
The former Roma defender made 20 league appearances for Chelsea last season, which put him third in terms of games played by Chelsea centre-backs.
A recent report from The Mirror stated two London clubs – West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur – were among clubs interested in signing Rudiger on loan.
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