Italian giants Juventus have reportedly agreed a deal with Antonio Rudiger to sign the Chelsea defender on a free transfer in the summer.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Rudiger has agreed to join Juventus at the end of the season on a four-year deal.
The report explains he’s picked the Serie A club over Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
He spent a couple of years with Roma before joining Chelsea in 2017, so it looks like a return to Italy is on the cards next season.
Rudiger’s current Blues deal expires at Stamford Bridge this summer, leaving overseas clubs free to discuss contracts and transfers with him.
With current Chelsea sanctions banning them from negotiating new contracts with existing players, the club must wait until there is a change of ownership before sorting out futures.
90min reports some of Chelsea’s potential new buyers would love to keep Rudiger in West London for next season.
However, it looks like Juventus have swooped in and secured the 29-year-old’s services.
The £100,000-a-week centre-back, described as “amazing” by Micah Richards in the past, is going to leave a colossal hole in Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
Crushing Chelsea news
If true, this is a very bad day for the club.
Until it’s confirmed Rudiger will be playing his football elsewhere next season, many are still hopeful Chelsea can agree a new contract with him.
The clock has been ticking down in recent months, though. Also, the complications over the takeover and imposed sanctions has interrupted any discussions.
Juventus are a step below the European powerhouse they once were, but a marque signing like Rudiger is the kind of addition that could improve their chances in the Champions League. They were knocked out by Villarreal in the last-16 of this season’s competition.
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