Chelsea fan-favourite Antonio Rudiger is all set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season with Real Madrid ready to take advantage of the defender’s contract expiring.
Rudiger has been pivotal to the success of the Blues over the past 12 months but he will now need to be replaced in the summer.
Thomas Tuchel confirmed that the 28-year-old would be leaving at the end of the campaign following Chelsea’s victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge on April 24.
It leaves the manager with a tough task this summer, with a raft of defensive reinforcements now required to patch up the back-line.
The future of Rudiger had been a long-running saga throughout the campaign, with Chelsea working constantly to try and persuade their star to extend his stay.
The much-loved talisman will be swapping Stamford Bridge for the Bernabeu come the summer.
CHECK THIS OUT
“The situation seems to be that he will leave the club,” Tuchel told Sky Sports.
“Now we enter into a situation where we could not fight anymore because of the sanctions and Toni said he will leave the club in the summer. Without the sanctions, we would’ve had the chance to keep on fighting, but for many weeks our hands have been tied. I don’t know what would’ve been the outcome, but it’s his decision.”
Now, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Rudiger will sign his Madrid contract in the coming days on a long-term deal.
The journalist also revealed that a big reason for the centre-back choosing Los Blancos was former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, with the Italian pushing hard for the deal.
“Real Madrid will have Antonio Rüdiger’s contract signed in the coming days. German centre back will join Real on a four year deal, the agreement has been reached also on commission and more.,” Romano wrote on Twitter.
“Ancelotti was key as he really wanted Rüdiger. Here we go confirmed.”