Liverpool Ready To Battle Chelsea For £15m-Rated German International

The opening of the summer transfer window is fast approaching so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Liverpool and Chelsea are linked with Anotino Rudiger…

Liverpool are eyeing a move for £15m-rated Chelsea target Antonio Rudiger as Jurgen Klopp looks to strengthen his defensive options this summer, according to the Mirror.

Kolo Toure is expected to leave at the end of the season, Mamadou Sakho is facing a lengthy ban following his failed drugs test while the future of Martin Skrtel is in serious doubt after the Slovakian fell out-of-favour following Klopp’s arrival as manager back in October.

Liverpool have already got a deal in place to sign Joel Matip on a free transfer from Schalke but Klopp is going to need to bring in at least one more centre-back this summer and it looks like he’s eyeing German international defender Antonio Rudiger.

The 23-year-old has been on the books at Stuttgart since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2011 but he’s currently enjoying a season long loan at Roma after failing to establish himself at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Rudiger has impressed in Serie A and it seems he’s caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp as the Mirror are citing a report coming out of Italy that claims Liverpool are lining-up a move for the £15m-rated centre-back this summer.

Any potential deal is going to be tough though as the newspaper suggests that Chelsea are also showing a keen interest in Rudiger while Roma have the option to make his loan deal permanent for just £7m.

Antonio Conte is due to take charge at Stamford Bridge after the Euro’s and a replacement for John Terry is going to be a priority with the long-serving skipper set to leave when his contract expires next month, and Rudiger looks to be on the Italians radar.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this all pans out as Rudiger may be keen to stay at Roma after a successful loan spell but I’d expect Stuttgart would rather sell to the likes of Liverpool or Chelsea for £15m, than sell to the Italians on the cheap.

READ MORE –> Chelsea transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

Money usually talks in these situations so I expect Stuttgart to try and sell the player on the open market and he’d be a solid acquisition for either of the English giants who are reportedly in the running for his signature.