Antonio Rudiger set to leave Chelsea after fresh Frank Lampard snub

Antonio Rudiger is set to leave Chelsea after reportedly being left out of the match-day squad for the second game in a row.

The German defender has two years left on his deal with the west London club but has seen his minutes limited since Frank Lampard was appointed Chelsea boss last summer.

He averaged 30 Premier League appearances in the two seasons before Lampard’s arrival, but made just 20 in the 2019/20 campaign.

Rudiger was not among the 18 players chosen to face Liverpool on Sunday, and The Telegraph reports he has been omitted from the squad to face Barnsley in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup clash.

Rudiger has made 115 appearances for the Blues since joining from Roma for £27million in 2017.

But he fell down the centre-back pecking order after the arrival of Thiago Silva this summer and is now fifth choice behind the Brazilian, Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori.

Rudiger, alongside his agent, is searching for a new club, with Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli believed to be among the possible destinations.

Should Chelsea part ways with Rudiger? Have your say here.

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A loan departure is the most likely outcome, while Lampard refused to be drawn when questioned about the futures of Rudiger and Callum Hudson-Odoi on Tuesday.

“I’m going to skirt around that question. It remains to be seen,” the Chelsea boss said of the pair.

“We’re not in a period where the transfer window or market is acting like it has done in recent years in terms of how players move or what level they move at.

“Again, the competitive games have just started. I’m very open to those conversations with the players as the next couple of weeks go on.

“My priority will always be making sure I maintain and keep the strongest squad I can for this club but after that, of course, the individual conversations will happen within that.

“I will try and make sure I go into the season once the window shuts with the squad that I feel is competitive in a healthy way.”

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