May 10, (THEWILL) – Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger has signed a pre-contract deal with La Liga champions Real Madrid ahead of his free transfer to the Spanish capital this summer.
According to sources close to the German international defender, the 29-year-old has agreed to a four-year contract with Carlo Ancelotti’s celebrated side.
Currently, Real’s concentration is on the Champions League final, while Chelsea wants to keep the focus on their pursuit for a top-four finish, with Rudiger very involved in that drive by Thomas Tuchel and his team.
Rudiger’s Chelsea contract expires at the end of June, and the club has long been expecting to lose one of their key defenders for free this summer. Late last year, negotiations fell out, and the relationship between his representatives and the club’s hierarchy deteriorated to the point where he refused to engage in further discussions.
Rudiger had been willing to wait for the conclusion of Chelsea’s upcoming takeover at one time, but once it was revealed that director Marina Granovskaia and chairman Bruce Buck would almost certainly be part of the new regime, he decided against staying.
The Germany international finished his physical in London a fortnight ago, and personal conditions, including a substantial signing-on bonus and agent fees, have reportedly now been finalised.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
