Chelsea FC Target German Ace Antonio Rudiger As Long Term John Terry Replacement
By Mike Hemmins
Whilst Chelsea have an embarrassment of riches in the midfield department at Cobham, the team is not so well blessed when it comes to defenders, so no surprise to hear then that Jose Mourinho is on the lookout for young, upcoming and highly talented defenders. Could Antonio Rüdiger be the next one on the way to Stamford Bridge?
With John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic both the wrong side of 30, the hunt for quality replacements must be one of the club’s top priorities. Former St. Etienne defender Kurt Zouma was brought in last January and has been expected to begin to break into the first team, although has spent much of his time this season on the bench.
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Much of that has to do with not wanting to unsettle an established backline and when Zouma was given his chance against Bolton, he took it with both hands, playing incredibly well, and grabbing a goal to boot. But Zouma is only one of at least another two or three that the blues will need to identify in relatively short time to ensure the highest levels of play in the coming years. The latest rumored target on Mourinho’s radar is young German ace Antonio Rüdiger.
Currently playing for Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, Rudiger is quickly making a name for himself and is a rumoured target for a number of high profile European clubs, with Chelsea high on the list. Priced at a modest £7 million, the 21 year old offers great value for money, especially when compared to Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane who would come with a hefty £40 million price tag.
Having played for his country at youth level, Rudiger finally made the breakthrough at senior level in Germany’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland. Whilst Germany lost that match, it says much about the young man’s ability in being picked to start such a match in the first place. If he is a target for Jose Mourinho and Chelsea, then he looks well placed to succeed and may well be a logical replacement for one of Chelsea’s greatest ever defenders.