It is vital that Chelsea tie Antonio Rudiger down to a new deal after allowing Kurt Zouma to leave the club last month, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest news involving Rudiger?

Rudiger's current contract, worth £100,000-per-week, is due to expire next summer.

Chelsea are looking to agree terms over a new deal, but the central defender stalled over the club's offer of a new £140,000-per-week contract earlier this month.

It is thought that the west Londoners will have to make Rudiger one of the club's highest paid players if they are to strike deal, with six of European football's top clubs reportedly ready to offer the Germany international a pre-contract in January ahead of a free transfer.

But Chelsea could be frustrated in their efforts to keep the 28-year-old as it has been claimed that Rudiger is set to make himself one of the highest paid defenders in history by taking a £400,000-per-week pay packet abroad, with Bayern Munich and Juventus among those lying in wait.

Speaking to DAZN, via Sky Sports Germany, Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic distanced the reigning Bundesliga champions from a potential deal.

But that came after head coach Julian Nagelsmann spoke glowingly of Rudiger.

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What has Paul Brown said about Rudiger?

Brown thinks the £29.8million sale of Zouma to London rivals West Ham United makes it even more important that Chelsea keep 6ft 3in defender Rudiger beyond the end of the season.

The journalist also claims Thiago Silva's days at Stamford Bridge could be numbered.

Brown told GIVEMESPORT: "I think he is a very, very important member of the squad at the moment, even if you just look at the influence in the dressing room and on the players around him rather than what he does on the pitch. 

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"If they were allowing him to go, they'd definitely have a problem because Thiago Silva is getting older and may not even be around next season, let alone for any longer than that.

"You look beyond that and they're a little bit light because they allowed Zouma to go while expecting to get another centre-back in, but that didn't happen."

Is Rudiger likely to stay at Chelsea?

Head coach Thomas Tuchel has claimed Rudiger does not have many reasons to leave Stamford Bridge for pastures new.

Rudiger, who joined Chelsea for an initial fee of £29million from Roma four years ago, has played every minute of the Blues' Premier League campaign so far and helped Tuchel's side to early season silverware in the Super Cup.

He has also won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with his current employers, so remaining at Chelsea could result in even more success for Rudiger.