ANTONIO RUDIGER delighted Chelsea fans when he savagely blasted the ball onto Tottenham outcast Tanguy Ndombele in the Blues’ 2-0 Carabao Cup win over their bitter rivals.
Ndombele was sent sprawling to the ground in a rare appearance for Spurs after a tussle for the ball with Rudiger’s Chelsea teammate Cesar Azpilicueta during the semi-final cup tie.
But Rudiger – who was lurking close by decided to heap more misery on Ndombele by blasting the ball onto the helpless midfielder’s back as he hit the deck.
Blues supporters purred with admiration for Rudiger’s seemingly intentional act of brutality and they took to social media to praise the 28-year-old.
One fan was so impressed with Rudiger that they called for fellow Blues supporters to rally round and raise cash on the fundraising site Go Fund Me to keep the want-away centre-back at the club – insisting that he can’t leave.
The 28-year-old’s contract with the Blues is up this summer and he’s reportedly flirting with the possibility of leaving Stamford Bridge.
Several European giants including Real Madrid, Juventus and Bayern Munich are said to be in talks with the defender who can begin pre-contract talks with interested parties in this January’s transfer window.
Money’s rumoured to be at the root of the German national’s discontent, and reports claim that he’ll only be willing to sign on the dotted line with the Blues if they DOUBLE his current pay packet from £90,000 to £180,000.
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Rudiger’s a huge asset for the Blues and he’s started 20 Premier League games for them this season – more than any other outfield player.
But Chelsea’s affection may not be enough to keep Rudiger out of the clutches of Real Madrid who are said to be leading the race for his signature.
Losing the ex-Stuttgart ace would be a huge blow for Blues boss Tuchel who’s currently overseeing a defensive crisis at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues recently lost full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell to injury as the race for the Premier League title with league leaders Manchester City and Liverpool intensifies heading into the second half of the season.
