Chelsea have enough reason to be delighted as their last summer target Antonio Rudiger has recently refused to rule out a Chelsea move in the upcoming transfer window. He was one of Conte’s main targets last summer but the German defender was out injured after damaging his knee ligament and has only just returned to the side.
Roma secured Rudiger’s signature on loan from the Bundesliga back in the summer of 2015 before signing him permanently this summer.
Among the defensive targets that Conte had with Rudiger were Alessio Romagnoli and Kalidou Koulibaly. However, none of them materialised and Chelsea had to settle with David Luiz at the back. The Brazilian has become an integral part of Chelsea since rejoining.
Towering at 190 cm and armed with good pace, Rudiger is very much alike Luiz, who with his strong build and height could be a perfect option for any English Premier League club. He has already bagged 4 caps for his national team and looks a promising player in the defence.
He was also included in Low’s squad in the Euros but his stay was cut short by a cruciate ligament injury. Many are of the opinion that Low favours the young central defender more than Jerome Boateng but the former Stuttgart man has had his injury problems in the recent past which have stopped him from progressing.
He is still at an early stage and would be needing much more game time before breaking into the squad, but his agility and aerial prowess make him a serious threat from indirect set pieces will surely earn him a place in big clubs if he continues to develop.
A concerning aspect for Rudiger would be his weakness in holding the ball as he has often been seen losing the ball in his half. But, he defends on the front foot and has a brilliant ability to read the game. Last season, he had a passing accuracy of 87% which is impressive for a central defender.
Chelsea are in awful need of defenders with the previous ageing lot moving towards retirement. Terry is turning 36 this December and is serving the final year of his contract and Branislav Ivanovic, 32, has already lost his first-team place and is linked with an exit.
Chelsea would need immediate reinforcements if they intend to hold on to their position at the top of the league in the second half of the season.
