Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger has been named the fastest player in the Premier League this campaign.
According to speeds recorded by stats service Opta, Rudiger clocked the fastest speed of any player in the top tier of English football in a game against Brighton this season.
Rudiger reached a speed of 36.7 kmph (22.8 mph), putting him at the top in the Premier League – narrowly ahead of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and former Wolves player Adama Traore.
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Salah and Traore are joint-second on the list after meeting a speed of 36.6 kmph (22.7 mph) this campaign. Another Liverpool star, Ibrahima Konate, is fourth on the list after managing 36.2 kmph (22.5 mph).
Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Leicester forward Patson Daka are joint-fifth with 36.1 km/h (22.4 mph).
Rudiger will be out of contract at Chelsea at the end of the season and is not able to extend his stay at the club due to the current sanctions against club owner Roman Abramovich.
The 29-year-old has held pre-contract talks with a number of European football’s top sides, including the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern.
However, Rudiger insists he is fully focused on Chelsea despite the uncertainty over his long-term future.
Speaking to TuttoMercatoWeb, via Sport Witness, Rudiger said: “Future? At the moment I am here, I have always said that I am happy here and we will see what to do in the future.”
Rudiger has won the Champions League and Club World Cup under Thomas Tuchel within the last year and the German says he’s proud of what Chelsea has achieved.
“I’m proud of my whole career, but what’s happened in the last year, it’s amazing,” Rudiger told PA.
“As a group we have achieved a lot, and had a great time. There have also been some downs, which is normal, I think. Personally, of course I’m enjoying this moment. “It’s one thing though when you feel good, when everything is well set up and the team is performing well.
“But I think I showed who I am when times were difficult, and this is what counts more to me. Because in good times everyone shines, everyone is good, so there’s no need to say anything.
“But the real character of a person is what you see when he is down, and this is what I proved, to myself. It’s not about proving to someone else, just proving to myself.
“I think a career’s all about chapters. When you’re young it’s a different chapter. But this chapter, yeah, it’s some of the best football I’m playing.”
