According to The Athletic, Antonio Rudiger has decided to leave Chelsea, and will make a decision on his future next week as Liverpool and Newcastle circle.
What’s the story?
Well, the £29m man’s contract expires in June, and he was actually happy to stay at Stamford Bridge as he’s enjoying life under Thomas Tuchel.
However, after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK Government, Chelsea are unable to discuss new contracts with anybody.
Rudiger has been offered over £290,000-a-week elsewhere, but he was willing to accept a lower salary to stay at Chelsea.
Despite that, there is no guarantee that whoever succeeds Abramovich can afford his wage demands.
The German also hasn’t been given a timeframe on when contract discussions can restart, and as such, has chosen to leave rather than gamble on his future.
It comes after the Daily Mail revealed Newcastle want to sign Rudiger, while it was Eurosport who claimed Liverpool are keen.
Liverpool & Newcastle could miss out on Antonio Rudiger
The Athletic aren’t the only ones reporting on this dramatic situation.
Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has also revealed what he’s heard, and he believes Real Madrid are now close to reaching an agreement with Rudiger.
The Spanish giants are arguably the most attractive club on the planet, so Jürgen Klopp and Eddie Howe won’t enjoy hearing this news.
Real Madrid are also one of the wealthiest clubs around, so it seems unlikely that Liverpool or Newcastle can outdo them financially.
Nevertheless, keep an eye on this situation, as Rudiger is expected to make a decision on who he joins next week.
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