Romano: Tottenham not in the race to sign star defender from bitter rivals

Transfer News: Fabrizio Romano reveals Tottenham Hotspur not in the race for Chelsea ace Antonio Rudiger

According to the Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano (h/t ESPN), Tottenham Hotspur are not in the race for signing Chelsea superstar Antonio Rudiger in the coming transfer window. This news comes amidst uncertainty surrounding the German’s contract at Stamford Bridge.

Rudiger was linked with a move to Tottenham as early as last week, but Romano has now put an end to that claim. He also adds that the centre-back has been in negotiations with the Blues for months and that an agreement has not been reached between them.

Real Madrid are interested in signing the German as a free agent at the end of the 2021-22 season. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have no interest to meet his wage demands, whereas Barcelona are also keeping tabs on the situation.

Expected?

A move to a direct Premier League rival is always one that raises the eyebrows of the fans and grabs the attention of newspapers. The Blues star is demanding a salary package of £200,000-a-week which his current club is hesitant to meet.

That is certainly not a low figure. But then again, he is a Champions League-winning defender at the prime of his career. Moreover, if he moves as a free agent, the club signing him would save on any transfer fees they would have to pay to Chelsea.

If we were to pull such a deal off, the German international would have been a great addition to Conte’s team. The West London club continue to start him in games regardless of his contract situation, indicating how crucial he is to the team.

The Chelsea centre-back was recently involved against Leeds United, where he was excellent in facilitating a memorable comeback for his team. He won them two penalties which gave them three points in the end.

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It is not wrong to suggest that we can do with better central defenders. Conte’s three-at-the-back system also demands additional depth in defence. Cristian Romero’s injury, a player currently on loan from Atalanta, only serves as a reminder of how a fitness issue to a star defender can potentially derail our campaign.

Rudiger, in this regard, would have been an added star name in our backline. At 28, he is in his prime and has several footballing years ahead of him. It’s a shame to know we are not in the race for him because signing such a player, that too from a bitter rival, would have really been a sweet addition to our squad.