Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has made a decision over his next club, according to reports. It comes after Thomas Tuchel confirmed the defender would be leaving the club at the end of the season.
The Germany international has spent five-years at the club, joining from AS Roma in 2017 for roughly £30million. While it hasn’t always been easy for the 29-year-old, he has managed to become a key player in Tuchel’s back three.
His ability to be aggressive in the press from the back was a key part of the German manager making six cup finals in just over one-year at the club. However, with the player set to be a free agent, the manager confirmed on Sunday that the centre-back is leaving the club.
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Tuchel said to Sky Sports: “Toni, the media is on it. The situation is that he wants to leave the club. He informed me of this in a private talk. We gave everything - me and the club - but we could not fight anymore because of the actions.
“Without the sanctions, we would at least be able to carry on fighting, but our hands are tied. We don't take it personally. It is his decision. He is a key figure and will stay that way until the end of the season.
“But it is disappointing. We will miss him a lot. He gives courage in the dressing room. The kind everyone is afraid of, but the kind to play 50-55 games at an outstanding level. He is a top defender in the last one and a half years for me. We then need to find another solution."
It remains to be seen how the Blues look to replace such an important figure in their team. However, it appears as though the defender has made his decision over the next club he will play for.
While a number of clubs have been linked, journalist Fabrizio Romano confirms that a verbal agreement has been reached between Real Madrid and his agents. A contract is yet to be signed, however there are some final details that need to be confirmed before it is done.
For Tuchel it is a huge blow, with Andreas Christensen also looking set to leave at the end of the season. It does make the situation clear though, so once the takeover is finally finished, work can be done to sign replacements.
