Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has put pressure on the club’s hierarchy to offer him a new and improved contract. The German is waiting to hold discussions with the club’s board members over the prospect of extending his stay at Stamford Bridge.
Rudiger played a peripheral figure for his former manager Frank Lampard. It looked certain that he will leave the club in January, as he hopes to play for Germany in the 2021 Euros. But the sacking of Lampard has given Rudiger a new life at Stamford Bridge.
Rudiger did start Lampard’s last two games before the Englishman was dismissed. But the arrival of compatriot Thomas Tuchel has seen him return back to the starting line-up. He has started all of Chelsea‘s last six Premier League games, securing four clean-sheets in the process.
This run of form has seen the 27-year-old wanting to extend his Chelsea contract. His current contract expires at the end of next season.
Rudiger demands for a new contract:
The German has suggested that he would be more than willing to consider extending his stay at Chelsea beyond 2022. But he will first needs to see some action from the club’s director of football Marina Granovskaia.
Rudiger spoke to Sky Sports, ahead of Chelsea’s home league game against Newcastle United on Monday. He is again expected to start the game. The former Roma player revealed that he would have stayed at the club even if Lampard was still in-charge while expressing his desire to stay at the club. He said:
“Inside myself, I was always calm and relaxed. I was not going crazy because I was not playing at the beginning. But then I was back in the team and got some games. From that moment on, my head was ‘I’m staying at Chelsea and trying to fight for my spot.’ Lampard in or out, I would have stayed anyway.
The thing is I cannot give myself a new contract. The talks have to come from the board, from Marina [Granovskaia]. I’m very calm when it comes to that.”
Rudiger’ mini-revival at Chelsea:
Despite being racially abused following Lampard’s sacking by a certain section of fans, Rudiger has bounced back strongly to win his place in the Chelsea team. He has ignored all the off-field antics and only focused on his game.
He plays an important role in Tuchel’s new three at the back system, starting as a right-sided centre-back. The German is likely to start against Newcastle on Monday. Coincidentally, his first game of the season came against Newcastle in the reverse fixture. Speaking ahead of the game, he said:
“I’m a competitor. I want to play. Obviously, it is frustrating and it was the first time in my career that I has this type of situation. I just said to myself ‘work, try hard to get back into the first team’. Now I can say I’m receiving the good from the hard work that I did before.
You just have to get ready. You have to always make yourself available and always be ready in your mindset.”
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