Antonio Rudiger: What are Chelsea getting in £30m-rated Germany Confederations Cup winner and Roma defender?
Roma star is on the brink of joining the Stamford Bridge side as they prepare to defend their Premier League title
CHELSEA transfer target Antonio Rudiger was coy when asked about his future after Germany’s 1-0 Confederations Cup final win over Chile on Sunday evening – but his words said everything.
Asked whether he would be leaving Roma for the Premier League this summer, the 24-year-old replied: “It’s not about the future right now. It’s about enjoyment.
"I need to enjoy this moment, and I’m enjoying it to the fullest. The rest we will see in the coming weeks.”
There was no mention of current club Roma and little attempt to swat away talk of a switch to the Premier League champions. It is expected Rudiger will complete a £30m move this week.
So who is the Roma centre-back? Our friends at Football Whispers have profiled the German defender.
Who is Antonio Rudiger and where does he come from?
Born in Berlin, Rudiger could have represented Sierra Leone – the country of his mother Lily’s birth – but instead chose to represent Germany.
Having turned out for Die Mannschaft at Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 level, Rudiger made his senior debut against Poland in May 2014 – shortly before Joachim Low’s side won the World Cup in Brazil.
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He missed out on selection for the tournament and his luck was out again two years later for the European Championships in France. Included in Low’s 23-man squad, Rudiger was forced to pull out with an ACL strain.
Rudiger would, therefore, have felt he was owed something at the Confederations Cup this summer after missing out on two major tournaments previously.
And his patience was rewarded, playing all but one game as Germany beat Chile 1-0 in Sunday’s final with a goal from Lars Stindl.
It was a German ‘B’ team but one which underlined the depth available to Bundestrainer Low ahead of next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Rudiger is just one of those who will be looking to force his way into the squad Low takes to Russia in 12 months’ time with Shkodran Mustafi, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes and Jerome Boateng his direct rivals.
And Rudiger cites Bayern Munich duo Hummels and Boateng as players he looks up to. He has previously been compared to the latter thanks to his athleticism and speed across the ground.
"He's another Jerome Boateng, just because they're so alike,” Low said. “He's been one of our strongest defenders in training and that's why he's playing."
Like Hummels, Rudiger started out with Borussia Dortmund. However, he moved to Stuttgart in 2011 and it was for Die Roten that he made his senior debut, against Borussia Monchengladbach in January 2012.
He quickly established himself as a first-team regular and made 65 appearances in the next three seasons.
Rudiger’s form caught the eye of Roma and, in August 2015, he moved to the Italian capital on loan for an initial €4m with the option to make the move permanent at the end of the season for €9m.
Chelsea were reportedly keen at the time with their then-manager Jose Mourinho of the belief Rudiger would be John Terry’s long-term replacement.
He made 30 Serie A appearances in his first season at the Stadio Olimpico and Roma, with the help of Rudiger’s agent and half-brother Sahr Senesie, a former Dortmund forward, clinched a deal for the German in 2016.
However, after a second impressive season with Il Giallorosso it is clear Rudiger has outgrown Roma. He is expected to move to Stamford Bridge this summer as Antonio Conte prepares for life without Terry.
Mourinho’s reputation at Chelsea was tarnished in the eyes of some when he was sacked in 2015. But the Special One was right about Rudiger.
How much will he cost?
Roma look set to make a healthy profit on a player who cost them a total of €13m to sign. Chelsea have had a £30m offer accepted for Rudiger and he is expected to undergo a medical on Monday ahead of completing his move.
Short of a last-ditch bid from Manchester City, £30m should do it and that is good value for a player who, at 24, has his best years ahead of him.
What is his most likely destination this summer?
Unless something goes badly wrong Rudiger will become a Chelsea player this week.
The Berlin native has long been linked to the Premier League with City and Tottenham Hotspur among those keen. Former Roma boss Luciano Spalletti was also keen to bring him to new club Inter Milan.
However, Chelsea have wasted no time in lining up a deal for Rudiger and look set to be rewarded for making their intentions clear before the Confederations Cup ended.