Journalist Paul Brown is not convinced that Antonio Rudiger will be able to get the wages that he wants from Chelsea at many other clubs.
The 28-year-old is in contract talks with the Premier League outfit at the moment, with his current deal set to expire next summer.
What's the latest news involving Rudiger?
Rudiger is into his fifth season at Stamford Bridge, and as things stand, it could be his last one.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is clearly a fan of his, having started him regularly in the Premier League and Champions League this term. However, the months are ticking down on Rudiger's contract, and he has still not come to an agreement with the club on an extension.
The German international reportedly wants to become one of Chelsea's highest earners by earning a wage packet of £180,000-a-week before he commits his future to the team.
What has Brown said about Rudiger?
The Daily Star reporter has his doubts about whether other clubs across Europe would be able to pay Rudiger the money that he is demanding from Chelsea, which could leave the 6 foot 3 defender in a tricky position at the negotiating table.
Brown told GIVEMESPORT: “I don’t think there are many clubs around Europe that would give Rudiger the sort of money that he wants from Chelsea because there are probably cheaper alternatives to some of those clubs. So, he may not have that many options really, if he wants that kind of money.”
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Which clubs could potentially afford to meet Rudiger's wage demands?
It is understood that PSG and Bayern Munich are leading the chase for Rudiger's signature right now. The French giants flexed their muscles in the recent transfer market by signing multiple players on big wages including Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Donnarumma, so it would not be surprising if they could afford to bring in Rudiger as well.
Meanwhile, Bayern tend to handle their finances well, and Rudiger may fancy a return to his homeland, having left Germany in 2016.
With this in mind, it seems that Rudiger could have a couple of options to leave the Blues in 2022, but he should also remember that the west London club are the current Champions League holders, and appear to be genuine title contenders this season, so he seems to be onto a good thing at Chelsea.
Whether this will be enough to convince him to stay if he doesn't get the money that he wants remains to be seen.