Out-of-favour Chelsea star determined to win back starting XI position

Antonio Rudiger keen to win back his place at Chelsea

Speaking to The Athletic, under-fire Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger has revealed that he is determined to win back his position at the club.

The German international has been left out of multiple matchday squads this season. He is yet to play a minute and the closest he has come is a place on the bench in our season opener against Brighton.

Rudiger was expected to leave the club on loan but eventually chose to stay on rather than join Tottenham Hotspur.

“There was a possibility of a loan deal, in order for me to get more game time. Due to many different reasons and the shortage of time, nothing materialised in the end.”

Apart from Spurs, the 27-year-old had also garnered interest from the likes of AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma and Barcelona.

According to the report, Rudiger does not believe that the club tried to force him out of the door.

“I wasn’t prepared to pack it all in simply because I had been left out a few times. I enjoy living in London and like being at Chelsea.”

Making the most of opportunities

With the UEFA Champions League set to start soon, Chelsea will have a packed schedule to deal with. Rudiger is hopeful that this will give him an opportunity to return to the fold.

He has however not ruled out the option of leaving. For now, he will continue to work hard in training and convince the manager that he can be relied upon on the field.

“Sometimes in football, things can change very quickly. That’s why I will continue to give my best every day and try to convince the manager.”

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Having signed Thiago Silva, Chelsea have five centre-backs in the squad. It was recently reported that Fikayo Tomori could head out on loan in January.

With the youngster out of the way, Rudiger’s chances of featuring for Chelsea could improve. However, with the Euros set to take place next summer, it remains to be seen if the German ace is willing to risk a lack of game time.