Football Insider: Spurs monitoring Antonio Rudiger for possible summer free transfer

Tottenham are keeping tabs on Antonio Rudiger as a possible free-transfer target next summer, according to Football Insider, which reports that his age is the club’s main concern. The Real Madrid defender turns 34 next summer, and the report says a move to the Saudi Pro League is considered more likely than a return to European football.

Football Insider says Spurs explored signing Rudiger during the recent summer window but did not make a firm move. The club could revisit the idea when the Germany international’s Real Madrid contract expires at the end of the season, though the report does not present Tottenham as his likeliest destination.

Rudiger’s experience is valued by decision-makers at Spurs, Football Insider reports. Tottenham are not ruling out another veteran signing, with the report pointing to Andy Robertson as a comparable example, but any addition would need to suit the group. Rudiger’s age is the sticking point.

The link emerged on the night Rudiger scored a last-gasp winner for Real Madrid in the Champions League. His goal completed a comeback against Roma, with Madrid recovering from 3-1 down to win 4-3. It underlined the kind of impact Spurs could value, but it does not change the report’s view that Saudi Arabia is the more likely destination.

The reported interest comes as Tottenham assess their centre-back options. Spurs Web has described the new-look defence as not fully convincing, with the partnership between Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven still developing. Marcos Senesi and Tosin Adaribayo are also settling in after joining the club. Van de Ven had made five league appearances, totalling 376 minutes, as of 15 October 2026.

Spurs are 19th in the Premier League with three points from six games. Their next fixture is at home to Coventry City on Monday, 19 October, so any move for Rudiger would be a summer decision rather than an immediate response to their current position. For now, the link remains a reported possibility: Tottenham are monitoring him, but his age and the likelihood of a Saudi move complicate the prospect.