Newcastle United want to sign Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger but are expecting him to go elsewhere when his contract expires this summer.
Reports from The Telegraph last week suggested that Newcastle had entered the race to sign Rudiger on a free transfer.
Rudiger’s contract expires this summer and Chelsea haven’t been able to sort out a new deal with their star centre back.
The current sanctions on Roman Abramovich mean Chelsea cannot offer Rudiger a new contract, giving Newcastle hope of a deal.
However, the Daily Mail claim that Newcastle anticipate that Rudiger will be going elsewhere this summer.
Newcastle believe that Rudiger wants to play Champions League football and will be focused on joining one of Europe’s biggest club to achieve that goal.
You can imagine that Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain will both be keen on signing Rudiger, leaving Newcastle trailing in the race.
Newcastle appear to be safe from relegation and certainly impressed against Rudiger’s Chelsea side on Sunday afternoon.
Newcastle will be looking to spend big this summer in the hope of acquiring major talent just like Rudiger, but maybe just aren’t there yet.
The Magpies aren’t an established power in European football, and whilst that day may come thanks to PIF’s investment, it will be a slow burn.
Newcastle fill find mixed results if they go for players like Rudiger, and battling Europe’s elite won’t be easy until the Magpies make more progress in the Premier League.
That’s largely how it worked for Manchester City too, with Rudiger now seemingly unlikely to join Newcastle this summer.
Rudiger, 29, has been hailed as phenomenal by pundit Chris Sutton and has really kicked on since Thomas Tuchel’s arrival at Chelsea.
One of the most in-demand free agents on the market, Rudiger looks set for a big pay day – and it doesn’t look to be coming from Newcastle.
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