Roma defender Antonio Rudiger. (Photo : Getty Images)
English Premier League side Chelsea is reportedly preparing a €30 million bid for AS Roma defender Antonio Rudiger this summer as incoming head coach Antonio Conte would like to improve the Stamford Bridge club's backfield next season.
Football Italia indicated that the Blues have recently tabled an offer of €30 million for Rudiger, who will be part of the Germany national team in the upcoming UEFA Euro 2016 competitions.
The 23-year-old German center back, who had just signed to make his loan stint with I Giallorossi from Bundesliga squad VfB Stuttgart a permanent one on Monday, is said to be already on his way out of the Italian capital city as Roma is intending to "sell him on for a profit", as per Caught Offside.
With key midfielders Radja Nainggolan and Miralem Pjanic being targeted by rich clubs FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Manchester United this summer, new head coach Luciano Spalletti is allegedly planning to buy their replacements soonest in the coming transfer window as he wants to keep the team competitive moving forward.
The sale of Rudiger will reportedly be used to boost the summer transfer warchest of the 57-year-old Italian manager as the club tries to find more ways of raising funds to further improve their roster in preparation for joining the UEFA Champions League next season.
Roma finished the season at third place in the Italian top flight table, finding their top form with new manager Spalletti in the middle and latter portions of the season to fall 11 points short of the Scudetto, but they are set to clash with Europe's biggest clubs in the continent's premier club tournament.
Meanwhile, Conte is said to be keen on bolstering his defensive options next season as they try to reclaim lost glory after winning the Premier League title last season and preparing to defend it this term.
Speculations abound that Conte had been eyeing Rudiger this season even as he heads the Italian national team as soon as he wan announced to take over from interim manager Guus Hiddink at the Stamford Bridge.
Aside from Rudiger, Conte is also interested in defenders Kostas Manolas, also of Roma, and Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli to reinforce his backfield next season.
