Chelsea must ‘try EVERYTHING’ they can to keep hold of star defender Antonio Rudiger, says William Gallas
CHELSEA must ‘try everything’ they can to keep hold of Antonio Rudiger this summer.
The German starred as Chelsea reached the Club World Cup final with a win over Al Hilal but is out of contract at the end of the season and continues to be linked with a move away.
Rudiger, 28, rejected an offer of £140,000 a week earlier this season and has now been offered closer to £200,000 a week to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Former Chelsea hero William Gallas, who won two Premier League titles and the League Cup with the Blues, reckons the club have to keep their star centre-back – especially with Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen also nearing the end of their contracts.
He told SunSport: “If you bring in another defender he has to be as talented and he has to understand the system, because it’s not easy to play three at the back.
“Antonio has shown everybody how good he is. He has been very important for Chelsea for a long time.
“Chelsea will try everything to keep him.”
Rudiger has emerged as one of the world’s best defenders under Thomas Tuchel and has become a vital cog in his 3-4-3 formation.
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As well as winning rave reviews as a defender, Rudiger is an absolutely crucial part of Chelsea’s attacking play, regularly driving forward and popping up with important goals.
In fact only three players – Man City’s Joao Cancelo and Ruben Dias and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold – have had more touches of the ball than Rudiger in the Prem this season.
Only Cancelo, Dias and City team-mate Aymeric Laporte carry the ball forward more often than Rudiger and only those three and Rodri have completed more passes.
“He gets forward very well, he scores goals,” added Gallas.
“The most important thing is to defend very well, but at the same time support your midfielders and strikers.
“He does a great job at that.
“It’s good to have a good midfield and strikers but [to be a great team] you need to have great, great defenders.”
Chelsea are also locked in negotiations with Azpiliucueta and Christensen.
5G at Stamford Bridge
STAMFORD BRIDGE has become the first Premier League stadium to have a 5G network across its entirety.
Chelsea shirt sponsor Three now promise fans inside the ground the ultimate connected experience that will allow strong phone signal, video calls, fast download speeds and even streaming in HD.
Five legendary Blues ‘G’s’ – Gianfranco Zola, Eidur Gudjohnsen, William Gallas, Geremi and Rob Green – were at the stadium this week to help launch the high-speed network.
Chelsea CEO Guy Laurence said: “What Three has achieved here at Stamford Bridge is ground-breaking and a testament to the strength of its 5G network.
“The possibilities of how we can enhance the fan and stadium experience are endless and our team is excited that it is now live.
“Staying connected is essential for fans and mobile has become an integral part of match days.
“5G enables us to begin to merge the physical and digital for ultimate fan experiences.
“With Three beside us, we will be able to deliver the next generation of connected entertainment and continue our quest to be one of the most innovative clubs in world football.”
Ex-Arsenal and Tottenham man Gallas says keeping club captain Azpilicueta, 32, would be an easy decision as “You need players who know the system well and who are leaders.”
But the question of Christensen’s future presents a more difficult proposition.
The Dane, who made his 150th Chelsea appearance in the Al Hilal win, looked set for a breakout campaign after a brilliant performance in the Champions League final and a strong Euro 2020 campaign.
But the 25-year-old defender has been in and out of the team this season due to a lack of form, injuries and the emergence of Trevoh Chalobah and, recently, Malang Sarr.
Before Jose Mourinho first turned up at Stamford Bridge, Gallas had built a strong partnership with John Terry in the centre of defence – but then found himself in and out of the team after the arrival of Mourinho and Ricardo Carvalho.
Versatile Gallas eventually worked his way back into the team and offered Christensen some advice.
The Frenchman, speaking as Three launched Stamford Bridge as the first Prem stadium with a 5G network, said: “For me it’s very easy to answer.
“When you start to play and the go back to the bench, that means you have to do more.
“Not just defend, participate in attack, score goals.
“Sometimes you have to understand how you can make the difference.
“You have to understand if your position is in danger you need to show something new to your coach.”
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