Real Madrid star's stance on joining Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr comes to light amid €100m contract offer: Reports
Antonio Rudiger reportedly wants to stay at Real Madrid amid claims Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr are prepared to offer him a staggering €100 million per year contract. The German defender was a prominent member of Los Blancos' side last season as they won the continental treble.
Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg played down suggestions he'd be open to joining Ronaldo's Al-Alami. The veteran centre-back has no intention of leaving the Santiago Bernabeu.
Rudiger, 31, made 48 appearances across competitions last season, helping Real Madrid keep 21 clean sheets. He also chipped in with two goals and three assists.
Reports claimed Al-Nassr were weighing up a €100 million four-year contract proposal for the 69-cap Germany international. This would nearly quadruple the current salary he earns at the Bernabeu.
The experienced defender joined Madrid in July 2022 after leaving Chelsea. He has two years left on his contract and a whooping €400 million release clause with the La Liga giants.
Carlo Ancelotti expressed his admiration for Rudiger last season by dubbing him a 'complete defender.' The Italian coach said (via Football Espana):
"He is a very attentive defender, very strong with his head. He has many qualities and a lot of experience. Positioning, character, personality… He is a very complete defender."
Al-Nassr may view Rudiger as Aymeric Laporte's replacement, as the Spanish defender's future is doubtful. The former Manchester City man is one of Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates the Saudi Pro League giants are reportedly prepared to offload.
Laporte arrived at Al-Awwal Park from City last summer in a €27.5 million deal. He's hinted at adaption issues in the Middle East since making a move and could be set to return to Europe.
Antonio Rudiger named Cristiano Ronaldo as Real Madrid's greatest-ever player
Rudiger holds Cristiano Ronaldo in high regard as he named the five-time Ballon d'Or winner as Real Madrid's all-time greatest player. He ranked the best five Los Blancos players in history and chose the five-time UEFA Champions League winner first.
Ronaldo ranked ahead of Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Sergio Ramos and Ronaldo Nazario (Brazilian). It's hard to disagree, given that Portugal's captain is the La Liga Giants' all-time top scorer, scoring 450 goals and contributing 131 assists in 438 games.
The Al-Nassr skipper won 16 major trophies with Los Merengues during his nine years at the Bernabeu. He won La Liga's Golden Boot on three occasions, dominating Spanish football with his iconic rivalry with Lionel Messi.