Newcastle want to sign Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer

The future of Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger is going to be one of English football's most discussed topics as the season draws towards a close, and one club willing to offer the German international a lucrative contract is Newcastle United.

Rudiger is into the last few months of his contract at Chelsea, with his deal set to expire on June 30, and Newcastle hope that they can tempt him to join their exciting project at St James' Park.

The January transfer window, the first window in which Newcastle's new owners could flex their financial muscle, saw the Magpies bring in Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn on permanent deals, and the Telegraph claim that they hope to add another defensive reinforcement in Rudiger next summer.

Rudiger is believed to want a contract that reflects his value to Chelsea, or his new club, while Newcastle are not expected to go above their newly implemented wage structure of paying star players more than 200,000 pounds a week.

Will Rudiger stay at Chelsea?

While Rudiger has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge, with Real Madrid also having been mooted as a possible destination, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that he ends up signing a new contract at Chelsea.

"You need to listen to the missus," the 29-year-old told Sky Sports in January when asked about what factors will be involved when deciding the next step in his career.

"You have to think about your family. My kids were born here in London so that tells you that my family feel great here.

"The rest is up to other people to make decisions and then we will see if we come together or not."

Rudiger has been able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club since January 1, although he is likely to evaluate his options at the end of the season.