Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Antonio Rudiger, Charly Musonda Rumours

AS Roma star Antonio Rudiger has officially completed a permanent move to the Italian capital from VfB Stuttgart amid rumours the Giallorossi could sell the Germany international on to Chelsea for a profit.

Meanwhile, Real Betis reportedly want to extend Charly Musonda's loan deal and are hopeful Dominic Solanke will join him in Spain.

Roma announced the news of Rudiger's permanent deal on Monday, a move that should surprise no one. The centre-back enjoyed an excellent season with the club on loan, and with the deal containing a clause for a full-time switch, the decision was an easy one.

But reports that Roma are willing to sell Rudiger on for a profit in order to keep hold of Kostas Manolas have been swirling for some time now, and according to Il Tempo (h/t Football Italia), the Giallorossi have already identified his replacement: Lyon's Samuel Umtiti.

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Rudiger has dismissed those reports, telling Wolfsburger Allgemeine (h/t Metro.co.uk's Max Miller), "Chelsea? This is talk I’ve felt for three years. I repeat, in Rome I am happy."

The 23-year-old formed a powerful duo with Manolas in the heart of Roma's defence in 2015-16 and became a much better defender in his first year with the club.

Rudiger has always been a remarkable physical specimen, combining raw strength with surprising pace, but vision and consistency were issues during his time with Stuttgart.

He learned how to tone things down in Rome, however, and the results were fantastic. Here's a look at some of his highlights:

His ability to carry the ball forward and contribute to the attack or distribute from a deeper position is uncanny, and given his young age, Rudiger appears to have the potential to become a special player.

But while it may seem odd that Roma would contemplate selling such a talent, it's important to note the Giallorossi are still bound to a financial fair play settlement until 2018, per UEFA's official website.

Roma have to be careful with their finances, and as Manolas is currently the more productive defender of the two, Rudiger would be the first man to go.

ESPN FC's David Amoyal believes a sale is possible:

Incoming Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte is fond of defenders who feel comfortable with the ball at their feet and can play the long ball, and under his guidance, Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci grew into a world-class player. He could have a similar impact on Rudiger, who has many of the same tools the Italy international had when he joined the Bianconeri in 2010.

Rudiger isn't a finished product, but none of the defenders seemingly available on the transfer market are. The likes of Bonucci are not expected to move, and the German's long-term potential makes him a tantalising alternative.

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Meanwhile, Real Betis president Angel Haro is said to have traveled to London to meet with Chelsea hoping to secure an extension to Musonda's loan and a deal for Solanke, per AS (h/t the Daily Star's Rhys Turrell).

Musonda spent the second half of the 2015-16 campaign on loan with the club and impressed greatly, while Solanke, 18, spent the year with Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands.

Neither is expected to play a big role for the Blues next season, although Musonda, 19, made a strong case to be in the squad next year. The Belgian had to wait a long time for his chance to play at the senior level, but when it came, he made the most of it, as you can see in this video:

While the two are extremely talented, they're also still quite raw, and another year out on loan in a top competition could only help. The handful of months Musonda spent with Betis clearly had an impact, so perhaps the Spanish side would be a good destination for the two.

The decision will likely come down to Conte, and as he's currently occupied with Italy's national team and won't have much time to assess the duo, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Blues sent them out on loan and focused solely on the senior players already in London during the Italian's first year in charge.

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