Chelsea officials still hope to be able to agree a deal to keep Antonio Rudiger at Stamford Bridge beyond the summer, the PA news agency understands.
Germany defender Rudiger is understood to have drawn major interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris St Germain and Manchester United. The 29-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and his representatives have talked to some of Europe’s biggest clubs about a possible switch from west London.
Of those interested, Real are understood to be heading the queue to land the defender.
Fabrizio Romano says United are out of the race to land the player, who has yet to sign for anyone.
Rudiger has for some time vowed to leave the decision on his future until the end of the campaign. But interest from other clubs has remained consistent.
He is understood to want to continue working with Thomas Tuchel however, having hit new heights under the Blues’ German boss.
Chelsea’s recruitment and retention has been halted by the strict operating terms after Roman Abramovich’s UK Government sanctions.
The sale of the Stamford Bridge club should be complete in May though, which will allow the west Londoners to return to standard transfer business.
The consortiums bidding to buy the Blues are all understood to want to keep chairman Bruce Buck and director Marina Granovskaia in place after a purchase.
Rudiger’s application
And that potential stability could yet offer a route map for the Blues to retain the services of Rudiger.
Former Roma centre-back Rudiger’s continued determination to keep his options open in recent weeks is understood to have been respected in the Chelsea hierarchy.
Todd Boehly, Sir Martin Broughton and Steve Pagliuca are the consortium heads for the remaining bids to buy Chelsea, with New York merchant bank the Raine Group poised to select a preferred bidder in the coming days.
Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.
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