Chelsea defender Rudiger ‘will join’ Real Madrid this summer after ‘signing four-year contract’

Jason Soutar
Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger applauds the fans

Antonio Rudiger will join Real Madrid on a four-year deal this summer when his Chelsea contract expires, according to reports.

The German defender has been excellent for the Blues since Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in the Stamford Bridge dugout last January.


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He helped them win the Champions League last term and will hope to lift the FA Cup trophy when his side face Liverpool on Saturday.

However, Chelsea are set to lose their star defender after he put pen to paper on a four-year deal with Real Madrid, as per David Ornstein for The Athletic and Fabrizio Romano.

The Athletic‘s report says that Rudiger will earn between €9-10m per year after tax – plus a signing-on fee – meaning he will earn ‘significantly more’ than what he was being paid in west London and what they offered to extend his deal.

The 29-year-old has already completed his Real medical and will have a €400m release clause in his contract.

Los Blancos will not announce the signing until after they take on Liverpool in the Champions League final later this month.

Rudiger will compete against Eder Militao, David Alaba, Nacho, and Jesus Vallejo for a starting berth in Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

Ornstein’s report came after renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano ‘confirmed’ that ‘everything is done’ between Rudiger and Madrid.

Romano wrote on Twitter: “Everything is now done between Real Madrid and Toni Rudiger. The deal has been completed, club sources confirm: he will play for Real.

“Contract until 2026, there’s no option for further season. Official announcement: end of the season. Here we go confirmed.”

Elsewhere, Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.

A brief statement on the Premier League club’s website read: ‘Manchester City can confirm we have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland to the Club on 1st July 2022.

‘The transfer remains subject to the Club finalising terms with the player.’

The 21-year-old is one of the hottest properties in world football having averaged nearly a goal per game for Dortmund and RB Salzburg.