Spurs eye shock summer move for Real Madrid defender

Real Madrid could see multiple prominent players leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of the season. David Alaba is almost certain to depart, and joining him could be Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger.

In Rudiger’s case, he will have the chance to prove his worth between now and the end of the season. Real Madrid officials are concerned about the number of injury woes he has sustained over the last 12 months, and if he fails to recover from these, it would be no surprise if he was not offered a new contract.

If this proves to be the case, Rudiger would have no shortage of offers from other top European clubs. Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are both monitoring his situation at the Bernabeu, while Tottenham Hotspur are already thinking about signing him as a free agent, according to TEAMtalk (via ED).

Spurs are fearful of losing star defender Cristian Romero, who has been strongly linked with a summer move to Atletico Madrid or Barcelona in recent weeks, and they see Rudiger as someone that could replace the Argentine – especially given that he can be signed without a transfer fee.

What should Real Madrid do regarding Rudiger?

It has been an extremely difficult season for Rudiger, who has managed only nine appearances across all competitions since August. Real Madrid are right to doubt his fitness, and if he fails to recover from these woes that have plagued him in recent months, it would make no sense to keep him around – even if his experience is invaluable.

The next few months are crucial for Rudiger, who would prioritise staying at Real Madrid over all other options. He’s back fit now, so he could soon make his return to the line-up under Alvaro Arbeloa, who could call upon him for this weekend’s match against in-form Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu.