Chelsea will reportedly only allow defender Antonio Rudiger to exit this summer if he signs a contract extension first at Stamford Bridge first.
With the centre-back’s Blues contract expiring in 2022, it looks like the club want to secure his valuation for any potential future sale by tying him down to a longer deal.
According to the Mirror, Frank Lampard’s side have informed the 27-year-old that he will need to sign a new deal or he will continue being on the fringes of the first-team squad.
It is claimed that Chelsea are happy to let the Germany international leave this summer, but they need him to sign a fresh contract before that happens.
The report explains that Premier League rivals West Ham believe they are in pole position to sign him as they are keen to offer a season-long loan, while Tottenham are also mentioned as potential suitors.
Rudiger, who has made 115 appearances for Chelsea, has been frozen out of the squad by manager Lampard and has not featured in any game so far this season in all competitions.
He is an athletic defender with plenty of pace and power that is a good fit for Premier League football, but has been prone to the odd individual error.
Despite some impressive performances in the past, the Chelsea boss doesn’t view him as part of his plans and is pushing forward with the centre-back options of Thiago Silva, Kurt Zouma, Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Tomori.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
