Chelsea ace makes Lampard vow after summer exit failed to materialise
Chelsea centre-half Antonio Rudiger has vowed to prove Frank Lampard wrong despite admitting his club “definitely didn’t have me in their plans” for the foreseeable future.
The Blues were the biggest spenders of the summer transfer window, eventually outlaying approximately £225m on new signings.
The overhaul predictably matched up with several exits of established stars, though not every player the club wished to offload ultimately departed the club.
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One such example is German centre-back Antonio Rudiger.
The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge, and despite the club’s continued struggles at the back, is yet to make a single appearance in the current campaign.
Speculation began to swirl of an exit, though the player himself reportedly opted to turn down a pair of Premier League loan moves on deadline day.
Now, speaking to The Athletic (via The Daily Mail), Rudiger has revealed his determination to once again become an integral part of Chelsea’s plans.
“The club didn’t tell me that it was absolutely necessary for me to find a new club and that they definitely didn’t have me in their plans for the next few months,” said Rudiger.
“I also turned down one or two options myself. I wasn’t prepared to pack it all in simply because I had been left out a few times. I enjoy living in London and like being at Chelsea.
“Naturally, I looked at a couple of options in the two weeks before the end of the transfer window.
“There was a possibility of a loan deal, in order for me to get more game time. Due to many different reasons and the shortage of time, nothing materialised in the end.
“It is what it is now. I will accept it for the time being and try to show myself in every training session.
“We are in many different competitions, it’s two games per week all the way from now. Sometimes in football, things can change very quickly.
“That’s why I will continue to give my best every day and try to convince the manager.”
