After previously showing interest in the German center-back before he moved to the Bernabeu, Manchester United is allegedly eager to make a bid for Real Madrid defender, Antonio Rudiger.
What are the most recent transfer speculations regarding Man United?
According to rumours in Spain, Erik ten Hag may be considering Rudiger as a potential successor given the rumours that the Dutchman wants to replace club captain Harry Maguire this summer.
The article claims that the Red Devils are preparing a bid of about €60 million (£51 million) to try to wrest the 30-year-old away from the La Liga team, despite the fact that Los Blancos are reportedly determined that the 6 foot 3 star won’t be sold, after just a single season in the Spanish capital.
The Manchester Evening News reports that the Old Trafford team was eager to get the then-Chelsea midfielder last year on a free transfer, though the player finally decided to join Carlo Ancelotti’s team after his contract at Stamford Bridge expired.
Must Man United acquire Rudiger?
The Premier League’s juggernauts have a history of plundering Real Madrid for its seasoned assets. They acquired Casemiro for £70 million last summer and are expected to complete a deal for Raphael Varane for an estimated £41 million in 2021.
Similar to Rudiger, the latter player seems to have been a long-term priority for United before completing his final switch to the Theatre of Dreams. The World Cup champion made the decision after having won four Champions Leagues during his time in Spain.
Varane, 30, was hailed as a “world-class” asset by MEN columnist Samuel Luckhurst shortly after his move to England. However, the 30-year-old has had his fair share of injury problems over the past two seasons, despite the fact that he was a crucial player under Ten Hag last season as the club broke their six-year trophy drought.
According to his manager, the former Lens star has had a significant “influence” on the Red Devils because of his prior success. If Rudiger makes the same move this summer, it is hoped that he will be able to do the same. TalkSPORT pundit Adrian Mariappa described the player as “cool, calm, and collected.”
The “immense” defender, described by ex-Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand as being in the latter stages of his career, may still have a lot to give Ten Hag despite being a Champions League and Europa League champion with Chelsea during his tenure in west London.
The 60-cap gem’s talent was particularly apparent in Madrid’s first-leg semifinal matchup with Manchester City back in May, when Ferdinand lauded him for his ability to contain the dangerous presence of Erling Haaland.
However, the former Roma player isn’t just a hot-headed, careless asset; the Berlin native is able to emulate Varane’s ‘calm’ approach as evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% of his European peers for pass completion, demonstrating just how at ease he is with playing out from the back.
Rudiger is a “aggressive leader,” according to previous manager Thomas Tuchel, who ensures he can provide Ten Hag another strong character in the locker room, much like Varane, who Luckhurst has praised as a “leader” himself.
The £241k per week German’s acquisition would be an especially wise business decision this summer with Maguire maybe on the way out.
