Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has said Antonio Rudiger should stay at Chelsea, but if he does leave then it should only be for Bayern Munich.
The Blues centre-back is out of contract at the end of the season, with an agreement yet to be met over an extension at Stamford Bridge.
The 28-year-old has been in emphatic form at the back, becoming a key part of Thomas Tuchel’s back three that has only conceded four goals in the Premier League so far this season.
On the contract stalemate, Tuchel has said: “Everybody wants him to stay, it’s clear and he knows it but sometimes there is a delay in these things and there is obviously a delay.
“It can happen these days but it does not affect his mentality, it doesn’t affect his quality, it doesn’t affect his behaviour.
"He is fully committed to Chelsea right now and I am absolutely sure he feels the trust, respect and love from the club and spectators.
"He knows what he has here, a fantastic club, fantastic league. He’s a competitor.
"We'll have a bit of patience and hopefully a happy end."
And now former United defender Ferdinand has weighed in on the discussion, and has said when asked what he would do in Rudiger’s situation: “I’d stay.
“I’d sign because you’ve got a genuine chance of winning the Premier League and European competitions.
“Tuchel’s come in and changed the fortunes of all those players' lives. They won the Champions League immediately and I watched Chelsea last weekend and they’re formidable.
“They are a team. Rudiger’s playing the best football I’ve ever seen.
“As a player do you risk changing that, and risk a downturn in form and performance and risk it by going somewhere else? I only see Bayern Munich as being on the same level.
“I think Bayern Munich are above Chelsea.”
Rudiger has been heavily linked with a free transfer to a number of clubs, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid the main two clubs that are said to be interested in him. He is one of four defenders out of contract in the summer.
Ferdinand continued: “But if he goes to Bayern Munich he’s going to be in a genuinely important league and he’s got a chance of winning the Champions League with the players there.
“I can’t see him going to Real Madrid and Barcelona where the teams are in transition.”
