Are Chelsea going to lose star defender to Bayern Munich?

German giants Bayern Munich are set to offer Toni Rudiger £10million a year to sign for them in the summer when the centre-back’s contract at SW6 expires.

Rudiger has become one of Thomas Tuchel’s untouchables as Chelsea attempt to go one better than last season’s Champions League success by adding the Premier League title. The Blues are top of the pile ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Leicester City.

Negotiations between the west London outfit and the German’s agent have reached a delicate stage. Rudiger wants wage parity with the club’s top earners. He will be able to talk to other suitors in January, with Bayern top of the list to nab the player who languished on the subs’ bench under previous head coach Frank Lampard.

But when Tuchel replaced Lampard he opted to restore all the experienced players to the side. Chelsea went on to land Europe’s top domestic prize, beating Manchester City 1-0 in Portugal in May.

Rudiger has continued his fine form this season and is viewed by Tuchel as pivotal to his defensive strategy.

Tuchel has already told the Chelsea board that he wants Rudiger to stay.

Rudiger said: “I am only concentrating on what is happening right now. I owe that to the club, the coach and the team.”

Chelsea women have secured the services of top striker Sam Kerr for another two years.

The Australian forward was also in the final year of her contract and was tempted by an offer to return to America.

Kerr said: “I’m really happy at the club. We’ve had good success, being at a club like Chelsea is an amazing opportunity.

“I feel really comfortable being here. The club gives me every opportunity to succeed as a player. I can’t see myself going anywhere else in the world or leaving Europe, having what I have at Chelsea.

“The time was right, honestly, I didn’t feel like I wanted to rush into anything, just like signing here the first time, it just happened naturally.

“The team speaks for itself, every day at training, playing with world-class players; getting challenged every day and winning trophies at the same time.

“I hadn’t won much when I came here and after last season, I think it’s just a no-brainer for me to stay.”

Chelsea are at home to Birmingham in the WSL on Sunday.