Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has revealed what he and the club will miss most about Antonio Rudiger after it was confirmed that the popular centre-back would leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. Rudiger's contract situation has been a hot topic throughout the current campaign, but with the Blues restricted by sanctions placed against Roman Abramovich, they have been unable to persist with negotiations.
As a result, Rudiger will now leave the west London club on a free transfer, with Real Madrid reportedly the favourites to sign him. As a result of Abramovich's assets being frozen by the UK government, Chelsea have been unable to spend or receive money on actions outside the terms of the special license granted to them.
So while they have been able to continue paying players and members of staff, contract and transfer negotiations have had to be put on hold. Only season ticket holders are currently able to attend home Premier League games, too, with the license still restricting extra ticket sales. Thomas Tuchel confirmed the departure of Rudiger on Saturday.
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"The situation is that he [Rudiger] wants to leave the club. He informed me of this in a private talk," he told Sky Sports following their 1-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday. "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."
Rudiger has been an integral part of Tuchel's Chelsea squad since his arrival at the start of 2021 as Frank Lampard's replacement, reinstating the 28-year-old in the first team and reaping the rewards with Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup titles followed.
Jorginho has now become the first member of the Blues squad to publicly comment on Rudiger's situation. Ahead of Chelsea's clash with Manchester United on Thursday, the Italian spoke to Sky Sports and piled praise on his teammate.
"If he leaves, we're going to miss him. He is a big personality, and he helped us a lot. We've had amazing times here. He is a good friend of mine. Of course, if he leaves, not just me, but I think everyone at the club will miss him."
When asked what he would miss about Rudiger most, Jorginho gave a sharp, one-word response: "Craziness!" he said with a laugh. "He makes me laugh a lot. All his jokes and laughs we've had together."
