Barcelona have entered the race to sign Antonio Rudiger on a Bosman, this summer.
As per an exclusive report from Sky Sports, Barcelona officials Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff held a secret meeting with Rudiger’s agent, Sahr Senesie.
The meeting lasted around three hours thus firing up the rumors of a potential move to Camp Nou, for the German defender. Rudiger, 29, will be out of a contract at the end of this season and has been in talks with potential suitors. The sanctions imposed by the UK Government on the Chelsea owner means that they cannot renew his contract, not yet anyway. But, the Blues will be able to offer Rudiger a new contract if the club is sold to a new owner. It is a matter of ‘when’, however.
The source understands that Barca are willing to go all-out for Antonio Rudiger. The 29-year-old carries an imposing presence in the backline and that is something that Barca have been lacking in the past few years.
The former La Liga champions have reportedly also agreed on a deal for Andreas Christensen and have an offer ready for Cesar Azpilicueta as well. If they do manage to sign Rudiger and Azpilicueta, they will have the Chelsea backline that won the Blues the UCL title last term.
Is Antonio Rudiger the defensive boost Barcelona need?
Antonio Rudiger has the profile needed to succeed at Barca. The German international is quick, comfortable on the ball, good in the air, and almost impossible to dribble past.
Gerard Pique is in the twilight of his career and to be able to get Rudiger on a Bosman will be absolute gold. His wages could be a cause of concern but he has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world, in recent years.
Rudiger can also play in close spaces and would be very effective in Xavi’s system which employs a high backline. Xavi wants a pacy defender, apart from a striker this coming summer. Rudiger fits the bill and like Ronald Araujo, would be the key to stopping counterattacks.
But, Jules Kounde has also emerged as an option for Barca in recent times. Kounde is someone who Xavi likes and Barca could also decide to go for him, instead. Kounde also has a profile similar to that of Araujo and Rudiger. Moreover, he is much more experienced in La Liga than the other two options. Sevilla’s asking fee of €80 million for the Frenchman however, is proving to be a stumbling block for the Blaugrana.
Given their financial condition, Rudiger is the best option when it comes to defenders in the free-agent market. Barca should go for him but it remains to be seen if the player’s wage demands could be an issue. Barca have been unable to stake their claim yet in a meaningful manner in the race to sign Erling Haaland simply because of his financial demands.
The new board is determined to keep the club’s finances stable and given the relative success of low-cost transfers like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Adama Traore, the Blaugrana should be confident of nabbing similar deals in the coming months.