Rudiger might be one of the highest paid defenders in the world to leave club

Antonio Rudiger is on course to become one of the best paid defenders on the planet with Europe’s elite willing to offer up to quadruple his current wage to leave Chelsea next summer.

Rudiger has emerged as a key man under Thomas Tuchel, but his future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain as he enters the final six months of his contract.

It is looking increasingly likely that the Germany defender will leave Chelsea on a free transfer next summer, when he will be available for nothing.

And Europe’s top clubs are queuing up to make lucrative formal offers to Rudiger from January 1, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint Germain, Bayern Munich and Juventus among the teams in the mix.

If Rudiger is to leave the Premier League in 2022, then he is expected to do so as one of the best paid defenders in football history.

The 28-year-old currently earns in the region of £100,000-per-week at Chelsea, but he is in line for a stratospheric upgrade on that next season.

Juventus centre-half Matthijs de Ligt is reportedly the best paid defender in the world, earning in the region of £400,000-per-week inclusive of all add-ons.

But Sportsmail understands that Rudiger’s next deal, should he leave Chelsea, will approach the Holland international’s mammoth deal once all financial factors are included.

The fact Rudiger is available on a free transfer means interested clubs will use the money saved on a fee, with the German valued around £70million in the current market, to bolster the value of the player’s salary package in terms of basic wage, signing-on fee and other lucrative add-ons.

The issue of Rudiger’s future will become much clearer in the coming weeks with the central defender officially allowed to speak to overseas clubs from January.

Chelsea could yet decide to make Rudiger an improved offer, but it seems unlikely the European champions will match what is being offered abroad.

The Blues have offered Rudiger a new deal worth in the region of £140,000-per-week but no agreement over an extension has been reached.

Despite the uncertainty over his future, Rudiger, who is settled in London, remains fully focused on Chelsea’s season and continues to have a good relationship with Tuchel.