March 31, (THEWILL) – In what has been described as a “secret” meeting, Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger’s agents were seen speaking with officials from Barcelona.
Rudiger’s contract expires in June, and he is expected to leave Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer after Chelsea failed to match his aim to become one of the club’s highest-paid players, despite claims that money was not a factor in his decision.
Since January, the Germany international has been free to sign a pre-contract, and talks have naturally ensued, with as many as 11 prominent European clubs showing an interest in securing a top-class defender on a free transfer.
There was footage released on Thursday, showing Rudiger’s agents meeting with Barca executives Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff in the Catalan capital.
Contrary to claims that it was a secret negotiation, the Catalan side held the talks in public as part of ongoing transfer discussions between the club and a number of other parties, which are still ongoing.
Furthermore, the 29-year-old is awaiting the results of Chelsea’s ongoing takeover auction in the hopes of receiving a better contract offer from the new owners, but his representatives have continued to hold conversations with some of Europe’s top teams nonetheless.
Some Chelsea bidders have contacted Rudiger’s representation in the hopes of persuading him to stay, and the player believes the least he can do is listen because he does not want to exit on bad terms.
Other clubs interested in signing the central defender this summer include Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Manchester United.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
