A Real Madrid star has received various offers to become the world's highest paid defender according ... [+]
A Real Madrid star has received "various offers" to become the world's highest paid defender according to Sky Sport in Germany, which cited anonymous sources.
Antonio Rudiger certainly had a 2023/2024 campaign worthy of such billing, after stepping up to the plate when two of his key teammates were injured.
Eder Militao was the first major casualty to drop on the backline when pulling up with an ACL rupture on the first day of the season against Athletic Club back in August.
Then in December, David Alaba suffered the same fate by picking up an identical knock to that which also sidelined goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois approaching Matchday 1.
Alongside his captain Nacho, however, Rudiger became the leader of a backline which roared Los Blancos on to an impressive treble which took in the La Liga and Champions League titles.
Thanks to his high profile performances, which have seen him become regarded as the world's best defender, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr also want to make Rudiger the world's highest paid defensive enforcer according to Sky Sport.
This information follows on from popular Spanish football programme El Chiringuito explaining last month that Al-Nassr had a $107 million (€100 million) package ready for Rudiger. But it now seems that its rival Al-Hilal, which boasts Neymar, has now entered the race to land the German as well.
Given how short staffed he is in Rudiger's area of the pitch, however, it seems unlikely President Florentino Perez would part with the 31-year-old unless an offer that was too good to refuse came in for a player that is under contract until mid-2026.
Having said that, the fact that Rudiger arrived on a free from Chelsea to pen that four-year deal in 2022 means that any potential sale represents pure profit for Madrid.
At the same time, though, Nacho has since left for Saudi Arabia himself and Alaba might not be available until 2025 according to reports from Austria.
Madrid is currently trying to make reinforcements by attempting to purchase 18-year-old Leny Yoro from Lille for whom it has made an offer of around €35 million ($35 million) according to AS.
