Top five clubs who should target to sign Antonio Rudiger if he leaves Chelsea

Talks regarding an extension to the German international's contract have stalled.

The Antonio Rudiger contract saga has been in the news for quite some time now. The German has shown what he is capable of under Thomas Tuchel. He was instrumental in Chelsea winning the UEFA Champions League last season and has been in great form this campaign as well. He is a leader on the pitch, commanding the players and leading from the back. Top European clubs have been hunting for his signature ever since the news of his problems in contract renewal with Chelsea has arrived. Rudiger is happy at the Blues, but wants a significant pay rise which the club are not willing to offer.

Here is the list of top five clubs that can land Antonio Rudiger, if Chelsea fail to renew his contract:

5. FC Barcelona

The Spanish side are already the front-runners to sign two quality Chelsea defenders – Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen. But, will they manage to land Antonio Rudiger as well? Since Xavi’s arrival, the Catalans have shown signs of their old self. With Gerard Pique in the twilight of his career, the arrival of two centre-backs from London will solidify their defence.

Their attack is firing as well with the likes of Pierre-EmerIck Aubameyang, Adama Traore and so on. With all these factors put together, FC Barcelona would look to challenge long-term rivals Real Madrid for the La Liga title once again.

4. Paris Saint-Germain

PSG made impressive defensive signings last summer in Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Achraf Hakimi. They already have players such as Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe, and so on who make their defence solid. But, despite all these factors, PSG lost to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, in a tie which they should have sealed.

Antonio Rudiger could be the answer to their defensive problems. The German can form a formidable partnership with Marquinhos and give them a shot at the Champions League title.

3. Manchester United

There have been some top deals between these two English clubs. Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic were signed by Manchester United from Chelsea. The Manchester club would want to exploit the Blues' current situation and what better way than to sign one of their best players.

The Red Devils have a pretty average defensive record this season, despite signing Raphael Varane. The arrival of Antonio Rudiger, who now has almost five years of Premier League experience, will further bolster their squad. He can be a useful replacement for Harry Maguire, who has only struggled since his move to Old Trafford.

2. Real Madrid

The Los Blancos are also strong contenders for the German centre-back. They have been chasing him for quite some time and were facing stiff competition from Bayern Munich for his signature. But, as per reports, the German side are no longer interested in signing him owing to his high salary expectations.

Madrid are also in the news to sign Kylian Mbappe from PSG. They will become unstoppable if they manage to land both these superstars. Real are doing a good job with the pairing of David Alaba and Eder Militao, but bringing an in-form, experienced defender will only make their defence stronger.

1. Juventus

In a surprising turn of events, Juventus have emerged as front-runners to sign the Chelsea star. The Turin side were recently knocked out by a determined Villarreal in the Champions League. They lost the second leg miserably with a score of 3-0 at home. Their defending was in absolute shambles, despite having quality defenders such as Matthijs de Ligt and Daniel Rugani.

They are offering him a four-year contract which will keep him at the club until 2026. He will earn around £5.4m per season as reported by Daily Mail UK. The German has prior experience in the Serie A, playing for AS Roma before moving to Chelsea in 2017.

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