Is Antonio Rudiger staying: A football team is built around values and non-negotiable factors that set the team culture. Culture is what sets the tone for the day to day work and activities at the club and that in turn makes a successful team. Things like these are evident at Chelsea since Thomas Tuchel’s arrival in early 2021. The team has done exceptionally well in the international and intercontinental club competitions and even though they have not won any domestic trophy under the German manager, their form has been near-perfect in both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
Despite their latest setback against Brentford in the Premier League, the team is still considered one of the favourites to lift the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup this season. But the off-field controversies regarding the ownership of the club along with the doubts over the future of several key players have put the manager under immense pressure in recent months.
Recently, Cesar Azpilicueta, the club captain and a legend has triggered his extension clause in the contract after making 35 appearances in all competitions. This has put all the noises over his future and the Barcelona links to an end as the Spaniard is no longer entering the free agency. Although, another one of Chelsea’s own Andreas Christensen, the Danish centre-back who came through the academy of the club is set to leave the club and join Xavi in Spain.
This certainly weakens Chelsea a bit defensively and the club now have to look for a replacement in the upcoming transfer window. But nothing will hit the Blues as hard as losing the 28 years old German defender Antonio Rudiger at the end of this season.
Antonio Rudiger – An Irreplaceable Asset?
The doubts over Rudiger’s future have not gone away yet. Reportedly, his agent started contract talks with Chelsea at the start of this season but failed to reach an agreement. The talks got put on hold due to the current restrictions on the club and if the reports are to be believed, the teams such as Barcelona and Juventus are looking to capitalize on this opportunity and sign him on a free transfer.
Despite all these, Tuchel is confident that his countryman will stay at the club. “There’s a good chance he stays our player once things are solved,” the German manager said at the pre-match conference while talking about Rudiger’s future. Considering the condition of Chelsea, it may not be the best thing to talk about a particular player’s future at the moment especially when the fans are suffering this much but the club would definitely not like to lose their key man.
