Antonio Rudiger in transfer talks as Chelsea contract ticks down

Chelsea could have three players return from injury this weekend against Brentford and Antonio Rudiger’s agent has been spotted in Barcelona

Chelsea could welcome back at least one key player when they return to Premier League action this weekend.

Defender Antonio Rudiger’s agent was spotted in Barcelona Barca sporting director Mateu Alemany and technical director Jordi Cruyff. The German defender is free to talk to other clubs with his contract at Stamford Bridge expiring at the end of the season. The Blues are hoping to extend the centreback who has expressed interest in extending his stay in west London.

Potential new owner Todd Boehly has spoken previously about the change in English stadiums as he plans on redeveloping Stamford Bridge.

Here are Mirror Football’s latest Chelsea headlines.

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Blues injury update

Chelsea continue their pursuit of a top-three finish when they take on Brentford this weekend.

The Blues are currently third but have Arsenal breathing down their neck, knowing a win on Saturday consolidates their hold on their league position with eight games remaining. And defender Reece James could make his return to the first-team since picking up an injury at the start of their month.

There’s also a possibility of centre-back Andreas Christensen featuring as well.

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Rudiger future update

Antonio Rudiger’s contract expires at the end of the season, leaving him free to speak to other clubs around Europe.

And it seems his agent is taking advantage of this, having been spotted in Barcelona talking to Barca’s sporting director Mateu Alemany and technical director Jordi Cruyff. The Spanish giants also have interest in Rudiger’s team-mate Andreas Christensen on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Rudiger has shown some interest in extending his stay in west London.

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Boehly’s stadium opinion

One of the four bidders to purchase Chelsea has made his thoughts clear on English football stadiums.

Todd Boehly, a part-owner of the NBA franchise LA Lakers and MLB franchise LA Dodgers, is part of a consortium looking to take over from departing owner Roman Abramovich. And part of the American’s pitch is to redevelop the 40,000-seater Stamford Bridge stadium, with quotes attributed to 2019 recently resurfacing.

“The new stadiums that [English clubs] are building, they’re starting to take an American approach to stadiums and making them environments,” Boehly told Bloomberg in 2019.

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