Chelsea are in the early stages of tying Antonio Rudiger down to a new contract after holding initial talks.
The defender joined Chelsea from Roma for £31.5m in the summer of 2017, signing a deal until 2022.
Rudiger has impressed for Frank Lampard's side after returning from a groin injury in December, and has been a mainstay in the Blues' backline since.
Chelsea are keen to reward this form and get the Germany international to commit his future to the club, with Sky Sports reporting that talks between Chelsea and Rudiger have already taken place.
The club are poised to offer him a new three-year deal with the option of a further year, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until at least 2023.
However, negotiations are still in the early stages and a deal is not close to being agreed, with discussions interrupted by the coronavirus outbreak and suspension of the football season.
According to Sky Sports, Rudiger's performances since signing for Chelsea have not gone unnoticed elsewhere. Although there is no suggestion that the 27-year-old is considering departing west London, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich are both 'admirers' of the player.
Rudiger last played club football in his home country in 2015 for VfB Stuttgart. He was loaned out to Roma for the 2015/16 season, and joined the Serie A outfit on a permanent basis the following year, and has emerged as one of European football's leading centre-backs since leaving his home country.
During his second season at Chelsea, Rudiger broke a Premier League passing record, completing 100% of his 91 passes during the Blues' 1-1 draw with Wolves.
When fit, he has been Frank Lampard's first choice centre back this season. Rudiger has featured 16 times in all competitions for the Blues this season since returning from a two-month injury layoff.
Prior to the suspension of football, Chelsea had won three out of their last four games in all competitions that Rudiger had started, including a crucial league victory over Tottenham and their FA Cup triumph against Liverpool.
Source :
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