It’s official, Chelsea fan’s worst nightmare for this season has come true. Antonio Rudiger will be leaving Chelsea. Rudiger joins Andreas Christensen as the latest player to confirm his exit at the end of the season. I guess all I can say is, how on earth did we get here?
This feels like a break-up that will potentially take a year to get over. It could take years to mend the damage that his absence will cause our backline. As much as I would have liked for the German international to stay, I have to face the music.
Chelsea will have to look for a replacement, and three necessary transfer options should be considered immediately.
READ MORE: What Antonio Conte's Paris Saint-Germain decision could mean for Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku
Thomas Tuchel told Sky Sports: "The situation is that he [Rudiger] wants to leave the club. He informed me of this is in a private talk. We gave everything - me and the club - but we could not fight anymore because of the actions.
"Without the sanctions, we would at least be able to carry on fighting, but our hands are tied. We don't take it personally. It is his decision."
Everyone has a say on who could fill his shoes, but the answer is, well, nobody. He is a presence in the dressing room that simply cannot be replaced overnight. The football world isn't filled with Thiago Silva's that are available upon request. But here are three options that would soften the blow.
Alessandro Bastoni
Inter Milan's promising 23-year-old Alessandro Bastoni is an undercover treasure. The left-footed centre-back is an easy fix. His contract will expire in 2024, so the Blues should keep a stern eye on his situation at Inter Milan before other clubs get involved. Tottenham and Antonio Conte have named Bastoni as an eye-catching option for them. Having already worked with Conte in creating such a stern defence in Italy, it's imperative that we keep him away from our rivals.
If there's one thing Antonio Conte could do, he sure knew how to pick the right defenders.
Bastoni must be involved in the conversation when we speak about ball-playing defenders. He has a keen eye for passes into the final third from his own half. An attribute that both Rudiger and Silva possess. The Italian is also progressive on the ball, something that we will need. Rudiger is the king of ball progression in the defence. I will miss those progressive runs into the final third.
Bastoni is currently valued at £54 million.
Wesley Fofana
Leicester City fans, close your eyes now. Wesley Fofana has been injured for the most part of the season. Prior to his injury, Fofana was the young superstar destined for greatness. The 21-year-old Frenchman is the solid rock in Leicester's backline. Since his arrival in 2020, he has caught the attention of clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. The potential is through the roof.
Having suffered from a Fibula fracture, Fofana has only played six games in Leicester's latter half of the season. The Foxes have not had much luck without him in their backline, which is evident in their performance dip.
The 6 foot 3 centre back has an ideal frame to cope with the physicality of the Premier League and could fill the void left by Rudiger. He is quick on recovery, and he isn't afraid to go to the ground to win a duel.
Saving the best attribute to last, Fofana is versatile. He's shown great ability to adjust in a back four as well as a back three and can play as both the right or left-sided centre back. Valued at just £36 million by Transfer Markt, bring him to the Bridge.
Jules Kounde
Is there much that I can say about Kounde that a Chelsea fan hasn't already heard before?
Chelsea has been interested in the 24-year-old for what feels like years now. Last summer, the Blues came close to acquiring the Sevilla defender before negotiations collapsed. There is still a possibility that Marina Granovskaia and her team of negotiators will go back to the drawing board to begin renegotiating.
Manchester United have joined the race to sign Kounde, and hopefully, Chelsea will not be too late to seal the deal. Will he be the man to replace Rudiger? Not necessarily. The defender usually occupies the right-hand side, opposite to Rudiger and doesn't quite strike me as a rough around the edges type of player. He is technically sound and is clinical in his duels. Where we have room for a Christensen replacement, Kounde is the perfect fit.
Kounde's market value remains at £54 million, contrary to the £68.5 million that Sevilla was asking for last summer. Let's watch Marina work her magic and see if we end up with a better deal.
