Unless we’re missing something obvious, the ‘Antonio Rudiger to Liverpool’ rumours require more untangling than headphones at the bottom of a gym bag.
Is this a sign Joe Gomez is weighing up his future at Anfield? According to reports, the seldom-seen 24-year-old fears being omitted from England’s World Cup plans after tumbling down Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order.
Perhaps Liverpool are concerned Joel Matip’s injury issues will resurface? Perhaps there’s a realisation Virgil van Dijk, having turned 30 in July, has started to move past his peak?
As of now, however, these points remain hypothetical. Liverpool’s defence doesn’t seem to need much restructuring or reinvestment on current form.
As such, reports suggesting Liverpool have asked to be kept in the loop regarding Antonio Rudiger’s future at Stamford Bridge appear to raise more questions than answers (EuroSport).
Could Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger really join Liverpool?
The Germany international may have played arguably the best football of his Chelsea career since the appointment of compatriot Thomas Tuchel nine months ago but, at the age of 28, Rudiger arguably has one big contract left before hanging up his boots.
And it feels increasingly unlikely he’ll sign on the dotted line in west London any time soon.
According to The Athletic, Rudiger wants £200,000 a week – a substantial rise on his current wages and one that could price him out of an extended stay at the European Champions.
Of course, it wouldn’t reflect well on Chelsea should a colossus of a centre-half defect to a direct Premier League rival while in the form of his life. Especially when you consider a certain Mo Salah ended up at Anfield after leaving Stamford Bridge.
But, assuming Gomez, Van Dijk and Matip stick around – and with Ibrahima Konate growing into life on Merseyside – it’s hard to see where Rudiger fits in at Liverpool.
And would the Reds – a team that tends to invest carefully in comparison with some of its top-flight rivals – really be willing to make Rudiger its fourth-best paid player ahead of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane and Alisson Becker (Spotrac)?
As we said, more questions than answers.
Here’s what some Chelsea fans on Twitter had to say about the Rudiger to Liverpool rumours:
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