Tottenham Hotspur have taken a liking to Real Madrid centre-back Antonio Rudiger, according to a report.
The Germany international left Chelsea as a free agent at the end of last season to join Los Blancos, where he has scored two goals in 31 appearances during his debut season.
Rudiger initially struggled to earn regular starts in the backline over David Alaba and Eder Militao, but the former has since been shifted to a left-back role during Ferland Mendy's absence through injury.
As a result, Rudiger has played the full 90 minutes in seven of Real's last eight La Liga matches, and he is expected to start in Tuesday's Champions League last-16 first leg against Liverpool.
The 29-year-old penned a four-year deal at the Bernabeu upon his arrival and is therefore not due to become a free agent until the summer of 2026, but his future is already being called into question.
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According to Fichajes, Tottenham have identified Rudiger as an ideal defensive target for the summer window as Antonio Conte seeks to bolster his rearguard options.
The report states that Rudiger has not fully convinced in Ancelotti's backline during his debut campaign, and Los Blancos may be open to a sale in the summer if they can poach Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig.
Should Gvardiol come in and immediately establish himself as a starter, Rudiger could seek a move elsewhere, as the former Roma man does not want to play a rotational role at Real Madrid.
Furthermore, Rudiger allegedly does not feel completely comfortable playing in a four-man backline, having excelled in a three-man defence for Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea - a system also deployed by Spurs boss Conte.
With Rudiger turning 30 next month, Tottenham would not have to break the bank to bring the defender back to the Premier League, where he made 133 appearances during his time at Chelsea.
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Tottenham are currently working with Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Ben Davies, Japhet Tanganga and Clement Lenglet as their central options, but the latter is due to return to Barcelona at the end of his loan spell this summer.
Tanganga has also struggled for minutes and could be on the way out, while Dier has come under criticism for perceived shortcomings in recent weeks, and Joe Rodon joined Rennes on loan with an option to buy.
Conte is thought to be keen to reunite with Inter Milan duo Milan Skriniar and Alessandro Bastoni in North London, but the former has reportedly agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain when his San Siro deal expires in the summer.
Bayer Leverkusen and Ecuador defender Piero Hincapie has also been mentioned as a priority target, but the versatile 21-year-old signed a new deal with the German club until 2027 last week.
Whether Conte will still be around to oversee Tottenham's summer overhaul is another question entirely, as the Italian is out of contract at the end of the season, and little progress has been made in talks over a renewal.
Ben Knapton
