Manchester City Are In The Running For This German Defender: Is He The Right Choice For Pep? | OneFootball

In a recent interview with Wetten Freunde, renowned journalist Gianluca di Marzio mentioned that Manchester City are in the running for Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger. The German centre-back said,

“Rüdiger is in talks with Juventus, Man City, Tottenham and even PSG, who still need a defender.

“It’s difficult to see him signing a new contract. He will join one of the four teams mentioned.”

Rudiger’s Impressive Run Of Form At Stamford Bridge

Rudiger deserves a lot of praise for making himself a solid performer in Thomas Tuchel’s first XI over the past 12 months. The 28-year-old registered one goal and one assist in 12 matches for the Blues this season across various competitions.

The German international has been a reliable presence at the heart of Tuchel’s defence based on his average of 1.0 tackles, 0.9 interceptions, 2.5 clearances, 1.3 shots and 0.6 key passes per game in the Premier League. He has even distributed the ball relatively well after making 87.3% of his attempted passes in the English first division (stats via whoscored).

HAMBURG, GERMANY – OCTOBER 08: Antonio Rüdiger of Germany controls the ball during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Germany and Romania at Volksparkstadion on October 08, 2021, in Hamburg, Hamburg. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)

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Is Rudiger The Right Choice For Manchester City?

Rudiger is a tough-tackling central defender who can sense the danger quickly that helps him make some crucial interceptions at the back. He is proficient at using his strong 1.90m frame to dominate the opposition in the air and excels at playing his way out from the back.

The 48-time German international tends to clear the danger when needed and has already proven his worth as a top performer at the highest level by winning the UEFA Champions League trophy with Chelsea last season.

Therefore, a player of Rudiger’s quality and winning mindset will be an excellent addition to Man City‘s match-day squad if they can find a way to win the race for his signature. At 28, the German will undoubtedly inject a lot of bite and steel into Pep Guardiola‘s defence which makes him a good choice for the Mancunian giants.

Rudiger could go on to become a future star at the Etihad Stadium as he has what it takes to form a commanding defensive partnership with Ruben Dias in the coming seasons. The Chelsea centre-back’s current contract at Stamford Bridge is set to run out at the end of this campaign, so Man City would be wise to arrange a cut-price move for him in January or sign him as a free agent next summer.