Marina Granovskaia seldom makes mistakes. Chelsea’s director has built a reputation over the years for being one of football’s most brilliant executives. The Russian has helped build the current Champions League-winning squad from the ground up, all while running the club as an equally successful business. The Blues actually made money this summer—despite breaking the club record (£97.5 million) for a transfer on Romelu Lukaku—thanks to a series of sales. Granovskaia helped negotiate buybacks and sell-on clauses for future stars, as well.
Nevertheless, there are some instances in which the most feared woman in football has some lapses in judgement. The purchases of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Danny Drinkwater for insanely high fees are two examples often references by the Chelsea faithful. Granovskaia is not a miracle worker. Although she managed to pry Lukaku away from Inter Milan and negotiate a season-long loan for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, there are still some of the current Blues players that need their contracts sorted. The Chelsea hierarchy seems to have things under control when it comes to the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante, but Antonio Rudiger’s current situation spells doom for the Blues at this moment in time.
Antonio Rudiger’s contract situation puts Chelsea in a difficult position.
Chelsea is currently stuck between rock and hard place as it relates to Rudiger. The German centerback has been off and on his entire career with the Blues. His time in SW6 began recovering from an injury before a promising spell under Antonio Conte. Roller coaster seasons under Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard came soon after and by the end of the latter’s tenure, it seemed as if the defender was one of the first names on the outgoings list. Thomas Tuchel’s arrival has breathed new life into Rudiger’s turbulent career and he now looks like one of England’s most elite central defenders.
The dilemma comes in when his contract is brought up. Rudiger has less than a year left on his original deal. In three-and-a-half months’ time, he can begin holding preliminary talks with other European clubs in regards to a free transfer next summer. This gives Chelsea little-to-no leverage or wiggle room in negotiations about an extension. The Blues currently have three options: they can overpay the 28-year-old and extend his deal, sell him in January or let him walk next summer.
The first option is almost entirely dependent on Tuchel. Granovskaia has shown a willingness to work with the UCL-winning manager thus far when making personnel decisions. If the German wants to keep his prized left centerback, Granovskaia will do everything in her power to make that desire a reality. That said, she will not let Rudiger’s financial demands hold the club hostage. Chelsea has a wage structure and while it is flexible, the Blues won’t break the bank to keep the veteran centerhalf. Rudiger is nearing his 30s and he knows all too well that this will likely be his last large contract. This fact, coupled with his form over the last eight months, means he’s going to get paid—it’s just a matter of who dishes out the cash.
The second option available to Chelsea is a January sale of the centerback. This is also the most unlikely option given the peculiar position it puts the Blues in. If Rudiger were to depart mid-season, Chelsea would have to dive into the transfer market for a suitable replacement. Other clubs would look to take advantage of the desperation coming out of west London, so Granovskaia would have little leverage when purchasing opposing players. The Blues will also hopefully be competing for some major honors during that period in time. This means baptism by fire for anyone who would step in and take Rudiger’s place on the left side of the back line. The old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems fitting in this particular situation.
Lastly, Chelsea could allow the German to depart on a free transfer when his contract runs out next summer. This seems unlikely for many reasons, but perhaps the biggest is the fact that Granovskaia doesn’t have the term “free transfer” in her outgoing vocabulary. Something is better than nothing, as we saw with Olivier Giroud’s sale to AC Milan earlier this year. On the other hand, it prevents the Blues from paying ridiculous wages to a defender nearing 30 and allows them to retain him through the end of the campaign. Nevertheless, this won’t be a popular decision with a majority of the fanbase.
Rudiger has attracted interest from many top clubs as they keep an eye on his situation. This includes—but is not limited to—Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Those are all appealing options for a defender who has already won a plethora of trophies during his time in London. There is no reason for Rudiger to sign a short-term extension like Giroud did to allow Chelsea the chance to snatch a fee for him, so if he departs within 12 months, it’ll likely be on a free. All of this is shaping up to be a relatively frustrating situation for the Blues. Rudiger is a phenomenal centerback and while it’s a joy watching him perfect his craft on the pitch, it could be agonizing to watch this situation play out over the next several months.
What do you think the Blues should do with Rudiger? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!