Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca greets fans at Stamford Bridge as we approach the festive season.placeholder image
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca greets fans at Stamford Bridge as we approach the festive season. | Getty Images
Chelsea could secure a genius signing who would be a true difference maker for Enzo Maresca’s side
Chelsea have high festive aspirations as we approach the Christmas period with the Blues third in the Premier League table and aiming to go far on their return to the Champions League.
Enzo Maresca’s side have hit some bumps in the road so far this campaign – not least due to a worrying disciplinary record and a series of recurring injury problems – but they remain on track to challenge for their biggest targets, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final against third-tier Cardiff City also in the offing.
The Blues remain short in one particular position, though, as their centre-back struggles continue amidst a long-term injury to Levi Colwill and regular fitness concerns for the likes of Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana. The lack of continuity has seen Maresca’s side leak too many goals at times so far this season.
A crucial January signing could therefore be the remedy, and with one former Stamford Bridge hero reportedly on the market, a game-changing transfer could still be possible for the west London outfit.
Antonio Rudiger return to Chelsea on the cards
The 32-year-old has featured minimally under Xabi Alonso due to a persistent hamstring injury, and so the belief is that Rudiger is not see as a key part of the Spaniard’s plans as he enters the final year of his deal at the Bernabeu.
Caught Offside cite Fichajes as claiming that Chelsea are ‘exploring the possibility’ of bringing Rudiger back to Stamford Bridge in 2026, be that on a free transfer next summer or even in a cut-price January deal. The Blues are said to already have submitted a £7 million proposal, which was considered well below Los Blancos’ valuation. The report continues that Real ‘have no plans’ to offer the player a contract extension, leaving the door wide open for Chelsea to make their move.
Rudiger signing is just what this young Chelsea squad needs
Rudiger left Chelsea for Madrid on a free transfer in 2022, and could go full circle for nothing once again if he decides to run his contract down and return to west London in summer 2026.
As rumours continue to swirl that Los Blancos are looking to secure a free agent at the back themselves next summer - with all of Ibrahima Konate, Marc Guehi and Dayot Upamecano currently seeing their contracts expire in 2026 - this could play right into the hands of Chelsea if it means Rudiger becomes available.
The signing of 32-year-old defender Rudiger would certainly go against Chelsea’s recent transfer policy, but that is exactly why it is a move they need to make. The current Blues back line is desperately lacking experience, with 25-year-old Reece James their experienced head and leader at the back despite having missed huge chunks of recent seasons through injury.
When the Blues won the Champions League against all odds in 2021 with Rudiger at the heart of defence, the experience of Thiago Silva was a key factor in their run to glory, which saw the two-time winners overcome both Madrid sides in the knock-out stages and Manchester City in the final.
Rudiger has now won Europe’s premier club competition twice following 2024 success with Real, and has been famed for his strong defensive displays against Erling Haaland in multiple meetings with City in the knock-out stages in recent years. His return to Stamford Bridge would not only elevate the standards of Maresca’s side at the back, he could help young defenders such as Colwill and Josh Acheampong to learn and become a new generation of trophy-winning leaders in west London.
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