Chelsea: Antonio Rudiger has a role to play next season

Chelsea should reject any bids that come in for Antonio Rudiger seeing as the German centerback has an important role at the club next season.

Chelsea’s season has finally concluded after nearly a year, so now all the talk moves to the reconstruction of the team as Frank Lampard wants envisions it. The defensive and goalkeeper positions have come under intense scrutiny from observers who are calling for sweeping changes at the back. There is no doubt these alterations are necessary if Chelsea is to elevate itself from the second or maybe even the third tier in the Premier League to title contenders. One of the positions in need is that of centerback and Antonio Rudiger is the topic of some debate.

Rudiger has experienced mixed results since coming over from Roma in 2017 on a 5-year deal. He came aboard following Chelsea’s last title in 2016/17 under Antonio Conte and still has two years left on his contract. While Rudiger’s stay in west London has been up-and-down—in part due to injury—he still has a role to play in the squad going forward. However, that role will not likely be a starter next season, that’s not to say he isn’t vital to the team’s success.

Rudiger still has a role in the squad next season due to the skills he possesses. The German is good—not great—in the air, a quality that is sorely lacking in the current Chelsea squad due to the height of the players. The Blues also just lack individual ability in that particular skill. Essentially though, there is no one on the current Chelsea squad who is proficient in the box on corner kicks. John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic were outstanding during the last decade for the Blues and no one has replaced that skillset. This is an area that needs to be addressed.

Despite not having his best season in last year, Rudiger still has something to add as a squad player. The question for Chelsea now becomes who does the board bring in to start alongside Kurt Zouma. Declan Rice would be a superb addition as Frank Lampard evidently sees him as a central defender. Yet, it is also clear that he can deputize admirably in defensive midfield when N’Golo Kante is injured or needs a rest. When that hole opens up and Rice moves up the pitch into midfield, the depth will be called upon; that’s where Rudiger will come into play.

While the 27-year-old has no overarching characteristics, he is fairly proficient all-around. He’s the type of player who can fit in the team as a squad player who is experienced, though not old, in football terms. He can easily slot into the team when called upon in a crunch or in Cup games, occasionally delivering a defensive masterclass. There will be lots of minutes to go around next season as Chelsea competes in four competitions, so Rudiger will get a significant amount of time on the pitch.

Rudiger has also proven his talents as a recruiter as he helped bring in his German teammate, Timo Werner. This attribute should not be minimized in its importance. While one name may not seem significant, he’s also assisting in the talks for Kai Havert. That being noted, it’s important to ask the question about bringing in others. The German team is in the middle of reloading as many of it World Cup winners aged or retired. Rudiger can continue to be a magnet for those new age players and Chelsea for the next two years at least.

A final point will be to address the recent rumor that Liverpool may be interested in a Rudiger transfer to help bolster its back line. The answer here should be a firm no from the London side. Dealing players to direct opponents is never a good idea and Chelsea has been bitten hard by this transfer strategy in the past. Moves like Daniel Sturridge to Liverpool, Juan Mata to Manchester United and Nemanja Matic to the Red Devils have not worked out well at all for Chelsea, hence why the Blues should shy away from those deals in the future. Top competitors can secure transfers without the assistance of the Chelsea.

Rudiger should stay and as such, accept a reduced role to help Chelsea meet its goals in the future. The Blues are building something special, fans now have to hope the German wants to be a part of that. If so, he’ll be a solid squad player for Chelsea going forward.