Real Madrid stepping up efforts to sign Chelsea defender

Real Madrid are reportedly planning to negotiate a pre-contract with Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger in January.

The German will enter the final six months of his Blues deal in January, and talks over an extension have reached a standstill.

The centre-back wants around £200,000-a-week to prolong his stay, but the club's hierarchy have refused to meet his demands.

He appears set to leave the club on a free transfer, and foreign clubs can negotiate a pre-contract at the turn of the year.

Both Madrid and Bayern Munich have been heavily linked with him, but Marca claims that the former are leading the race.

They have already made contact with the German's agents, and are willing to meet his wage demands with a big signing-on fee.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel recently hinted that talks have not progressed with Rudiger, but remained hopeful that he will stay.

The club are currently close to renewing Andreas Christensen's contract. The Dane's existing deal also expires next summer.