After hearing over the last couple of weeks that Juventus are looking to be players in trying to attract some of the bigger names on the free-agent market this coming summer, it probably comes as no surprise in that they have been linked to another one of those players on the second day of the March international break.
Or maybe something more than just some transfer gossip?
(You can decide on that one in a few minutes.)
According to Tuttosport on Tuesday, Juventus have checked in with the agents of
Real Madrid center back Antonio Rüdiger over a potential move this summer. Rüdiger, 33, has yet to agree to a new deal with the Spanish giants and could very well leave the club when his contract expires. He is said to be a player in which Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti — who himself has a contract that could very well be extended in the coming weeks — would be happy to work with again after the two were together during their days with Roma a decade ago.
They are both at different points in their career now, but Rüdiger is still a viable option for a club that is clearly looking for upgrades — and sensical deals — in defense ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Much of the last couple years surrounding Rüdiger is about how much time he has missed due to injury. However, that is something that Rüdiger himself made a point to emphasize during a press conference while on national team duty with Germany this week, saying: “”I am definitely not a safety risk for my teams. I know exactly what minute we are in and what’s at stake.“
Already this season, Rüdiger has missed a month due to a knee issue as well as nearly three months with a hamstring injury he picked up in September. That’s a lot of time for a central defender that Real Madrid were counting on to be available as they welcomed in new, less experienced players at the back. (We won’t mention any one of them by name …)
That is obviously something Juventus have to weigh considering the simple notion of Rüdiger’s age and the fact that he won’t come cheap. It’s hard to know where talks between Juventus and Rüdiger’s camp stand in terms of them being exploratory more than anything or if there was actual substance to them. But, at this point, it’s pretty clear that Juve’s front office are really exploring as many of the high-level free-agent options that they can to try and find a deal for a quality player.
Rüdiger has also been linked with a move to Liverpool and Manchester United recently.
