Who is Antonio Rudiger?

Let's start with the obvious, Rudiger is a 24-year-old defender. As a youngster he spent some time with Borussia Dortmund's academy before being allowed to join Stuttgart, where he made the step up to senior football, ironically making his Bundesliga debut against Dortmund.

He made 80 appearances for Stuttgart before making the move to Serie A with Roma. He made 36 appearances in all competitions last season after bouncing back from a serious knee injury and showed his versatility by playing all across the back line.

At international level, Rudiger has played 17 times for Germany and was a member of their recent Confederations Cup winning squad, though he was also eligible for Sierra Leone through his mother, who hails from the African country.

Rudiger has reportedly told Roma of his intention to leave the club this summer, due to the racial abuse he has suffered over the last two years.

In the Rome derby in March Rudiger was targeted by Lazio fans whilst Lazio left-back Senad Lulic also found himself in hot water for comments made in the reverse fixture in December. Lulic said of Rudiger: "Two years ago he was selling socks and belts in Stuttgart. Now he acts like he's some phenomenon."

The player is a strong and physical player though also very athletic. However, his technical ability has been questioned on occasion and so he may need to improve this side of his game if he is to make himself a fixture in Antonio Conte's defence. In terms of style, 'The Daily Mail' report that Rudiger's style is similar to that of compatriot Jerome Boateng.

Football statistics website 'whoscored.com' list the player's key strength as concentration, something which will serve him very well in the Premier League.

What do you think? Will Rudiger prove to be a good signing for Chelsea? Let us know in the comments section.