Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger will depart the club at the end of the season when his contract expires, reports The Athletic. The 29-year-old will leave as a free agent, having been one of the team’s most improved players since Thomas Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard back in January 2021.
Negotiations to renew the German’s contract were underway when the UK government sanctions against Roman Abramovich hit the club, restricting the club from committing any funds for new contracts.
Also read 👉 F1 star Hamilton joins Sir Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea, leaves rival perplexed
Chelsea were in talks with Rudigers’s camp since December, with the expectation being that the German would extend his stay at the club. The defender, for his part, was content at Stamford Bridge, playing under the stewardship of Tuchel, and would’ve accepted a lower wage to extend his contract than some of the sums being offered to him from the outside.
Rudiger, who was one of the lowest-earning senior members of the Chelsea squad – earning a reported 90,000 pounds a week – had offers up to 290,000 to sign a pre-contractual agreement elsewhere.
As per transfer guru Gianluca di Marzio, Rudiger is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. Los Blancos are close to agreeing a deal with the 29-year-old after he lowered his wage demands.
Manchester United, too, were interested in signing the defender on a free transfer, but the German was looking for guaranteed UEFA Champions League football. Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Barcelona, and Tottenham Hotspur were also keeping tabs on the player but failed to reach an agreement in time with his representatives.
Rudiger will leave Chelsea after five years. The German signed for the Blues from AS Roma in 2017 and has made 196 appearances since then. During this period, he won one FA Cup, one Champions League, and one Europa League, along with a Super Cup and a Club World Cup.
