Chelsea have landed Antonio Rudiger replacement as new £66.5m details emerge – pundit
Noel Whelan has insisted Kalidou Koulibaly is a “very worthwhile” replacement for departed Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, suggested the 31-year-old has the same “fear factor” as Rudiger – and can step straight into the German’s shoes at the London side.
Chelsea confirmed the signing of Koulibaly early on Saturday (16 July) – with the Senegal international penning a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge.
According to Sky Sports (13 July), the Blues will pay a fee of up to £33.7million for the defender, who will earn £32.8million over the duration of his contract – a total outlay of £66.5million.
Chelsea have been active in their pursuit of multiple centre-backs this summer after losing Rudiger and Andreas Christensen at the end of their contracts.
When asked if Koulibaly is an adequate replacement for the departed Real Madrid star, Whelan told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury: “I think so.
“You need a player like that. Somebody with that physical presence, that experience, someone that can command a defence – and someone who has that fear factor to play against.
“It’s a very worthwhile signing – this Koulibaly deal has been rumbling on for a fair few years now.
“They’re finally getting their man. Rudiger will be a massive void to fill, but they’re filling it with another experienced, quality, and solid defender.
“He’s someone they can trust, and I think it’s a great signing for Chelsea.
“That’ll appease the fans to know they’ve got someone with that amount of quality ready to step into Rudiger’s shoes.”
In other news, expert claims Chelsea are facing a £16.2m-a-year wage bill hike amid contract claims.