Tottenham emerge as shock contenders to sign Chelsea outcast Antonio Rudiger

Tottenham have emerged as shock contenders to sign Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger.

Spurs are in the market for a centre-back, but do not want to pay Inter Milan their £55m asking price for top target Milan Skriniar.

Rudiger has been linked with a host of clubs across Europe, including PSG and Barcelona, having not featured in any of Frank Lampard’s matchday squads so far this season.

And now, according to Sky Sports, Tottenham have expressed an interest in signing the 27-year-old Germany international.

Speaking about Rudiger’s future ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup clash with Spurs tomorrow night, Lampard said: “I wouldn’t assume anything and I wouldn’t assume (anything about) Antonio or any players in the squad.

“We are not there until next Monday when the window shuts, so other than that, I would make no assumptions.”

Rudiger indicated last December he heard monkey noises from a group of Spurs fans during Chelsea’s 2-0 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though no evidence was found to support his accusations following investigations by both the north Londoners and the Metropolitan Police.

Speaking after the incident, Rudiger said: “With the win it makes me feel a bit like, yes okay, but it makes me feel like it will always be like this. For me, in this case, racism won.”

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown recently questioned Lampard’s decision to shun Rudiger, given the club’s defensive woes.

“I think Rudiger is their best defender, and that is the long-time partnership [with Thiago Silva],” Keown told talkSPORT.

“But, it looks like Rudiger is going out the door!”