Antonio Rudiger has confirmed that he will join Real Madrid when his contract with Chelsea expires at the end of this month. It had long been assumed that was the case but now it is official.
“I am proud to announce that I will be joining Real Madrid,” Rudiger wrote. “I am super excited for all the challenges ahead and cannot wait to play my first game for this huge club.”
Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League but they are not resting on their laurels – that would not be in the character of the club. The want to go again, even stronger, in 2022/23 and need to recruit intelligently in order to that. Rudiger is a superb get.
The German centre-back has been a pivotal part of Thomas Tuchel’s team ever since he took over at Stamford Bridge. He was a hugely important player as Chelsea won the Champions League in 2020/21, when they beat Manchester City in the final in Porto.
Rudiger, 29, has made 203 appearances for Chelsea since he joined the club in the summer of 2017. He has scored 12 goals and provided seven assists and has also earned 50 caps for the German national team, with whom he has scored two goals.
