Chelsea earmark 20-year-old Croatian international to replace Rudiger

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel wants RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol to replace Antonio Rudiger

According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany on Twitter, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel wants RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol to replace Antonio Rudiger after this season. The young defender has been an instant hit at the German club, having joined them only last summer.

The Blues are set to lose Rudiger for free to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window. As such, Tuchel is looking at potential targets to replace the star man past this term. The German boss has identified Gvardiol as an option, and he is also a keen admirer of the youngster’s talents.

That being said, there is no direct contact between the English side and the Croatian’s entourage for now. Moreover, he is “totally happy” with his current life at Leipzig, which could be concerning for the West Londoners. What’s more, it is claimed that there is no release clause in his contract, which could make things difficult for Tuchel’s team.

Who is Josko Gvardiol?

A natural left-sided centre-back, the 20-year-old also could play as a left-back when needed, which makes him a suitable prospect for Tuchel’s three at the back system. What’s more, he would be a perfect fit for Rudiger, purely going by a positional sense and similarities in their playstyle.

Despite being so young, Gvardiol has quickly become a mainstay for club and country, which is a nod to the abundant quality that he possesses. What’s more, he is not a refined product just yet and still has vast amounts of potential that he can achieve under the right guidance.

It is not surprising to see Tuchel being a fan of the Bundesliga ace who has two goals and three assists to his name this term from 42 appearances across all competitions. He helped his side to 13 clean sheets during that period which is a great return indeed.

We are in danger of being subjected to a defensive crisis in the coming summer transfer window. Rudiger is not the only one who will leave us as Andreas Christensen is also expected to join Barcelona. Cesar Azpilicueta could move to Camp Nou as well, which puts into the picture the dire situation that could await us in the future.

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Arguments can be made for Levi Colwill to take over the reins, but Gvardiol’s experience playing with Croatia and Leipzig makes him a better prospect. That being said, a move is far from being finalised as we cannot engage in talks due to the transfer ban imposed on the club.

The lack of a release clause coupled with Gvardiol being happy in Germany does not bode well for our interest. Not to mention, it is also unknown whether the Bavarian side would be willing to sell a talented prospect after signing him last summer. Only time will give us an answer to this question as we near the end of this term.