Report: West Ham have bid rejected to sign Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger

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The Guardian have claimed on their deadline day blog (Monday, 15:09) that West Ham United have seen a move to sign Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger turned down by the player himself – with Tottenham Hotspur still being linked.

Rudiger, 27, is seemingly surplus to requirements at Chelsea following Frank Lampard’s decision to bring veteran Thiago Silva to the club. Fikayo Tomori, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen are preferred, ahead of the German.

Rudiger has failed to play a single minute this season, appearing only once on the bench during a 3-1 win over Brighton. West Ham, meanwhile, are desperate for a defender but the latest report claims West Ham have seen a move rejected.

The £29million (BBC) Chelsea signing’s future remains up in the air, as we enter the final stages of deadline day. Sky Sports claimed earlier on during deadline day that Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are all interested.

TBR’s view – Rudiger would have been an excellent West Ham signing

The Hammers have been linked with numerous central defenders. James Tarkowski, Nikola Milenkovic, Wesley Fofana just to name a few. Rudiger would top the lot, an experienced centre-back with Premier League knowledge and know how.

Though the Hammers have massively improved after stunning performances against Wolves and Leicester, their need for a central defender remains. Rudigers would have been a sensational addition, but they must now look elsewhere.