Antonio Rudiger is set to wait until after both legs of their Champions League tie with Real Madrid to make a decision on where his future lies. That's according to BILD reporter Christian Falk, who claims the German defender 'still prefers to stay at Chelsea'.
Real Madrid are one of the clubs said to be interested in Rudiger, who sees his contract at Chelsea expire at the end of the current campaign. Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Barcelona are also thought to be in the running for the charismatic centre-back.
Falk wrote this on Twitter: "@ToniRuediger still prefers to stay at Chelsea. He won't decide before the matches against Real Madrid, but Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and PSG hope that he won't wait for a decision on the new Chelsea owner."
READ MORE: Chelsea vs Real Madrid to reveal Andreas Christensen transfer truth as Thomas Tuchel eyes legacy
Rudiger's representatives were recently pictured meeting with members of the Barcelona board ahead of a move in the summer, something that Thomas Tuchel fully understands. The Chelsea boss said this at the start of the month: "I would try to meet with him if I was at any other club.
"He's still our player and we still think there's a good chance he stays our player once things are solved. This situation is the situation at the moment, our hands are tied.
"We cannot speak or negotiate with him and his agent. Fair enough if it's true that he listens to other offers. That's the way things go, but I am still confident."
Losing Rudiger at the end of the season would be a huge blow to Chelsea - as it would be for any other club. The Germany international has been one of the most consistent performers in his position since Tuchel was appointed Blues manager in January of last year.
As per WhoScored, the 29-year-old has an average rating of 6.93 this season, which is quite remarkable considering he has played 48 games across all competitions for club and country. He is arguably in the form of his career but his future looks as if it could be away from Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, though, are already on the lookout for a possible replacement for Rudiger. Eder Militao of Real Madrid is said to be someone interesting the European champions ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to a report from Marca in February, Chelsea had plans to meet with Militao's agent, Ulisses Jorge, over a possible move for his client. The 24-year-old has been in sensational form for Los Blancos this term and has established himself as a first-team regular under Carlo Ancelotti.
The Brazilian defender, as per WhoScored, has an average rating of 7.04 this term. This evening's (Wednesday) match at Stamford Bridge could be an opportunity for the defender to impress Chelsea even more ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Blues, of course, will be hoping Militao does not have the best match of his career, with a place in the Champions League semi-finals on the line, but it could make the club's decision easier if he does showcase his talents against Chelsea's attackers. In an interview with AS a few months ago, Militao spoke about the importance of Ancelotti since he arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer.
The Brazilian said: "Ancelotti has been very important to me, he has given me the confidence that every player needs. I try to continue learning every day. I have very beautiful moments ahead of me with Real Madrid."
