Antonio Rudiger agrees Real Madrid deal with eye-watering wages and mammoth release clause

Antonio Rudiger will leave Chelsea at the end of the season and join Real Madrid as a free agent, signing an enormous contract with the La Liga giants.

The Athletic report that the 29-year-old has signed a four-year deal that runs until 2026 and he will pocket between €9-10 million (£7.7-8.5m) per year after tax – around €400,000 (£342,000) per week.

The salary is a big improvement on his current Chelsea contract and what the Blues offered him to try to keep him at Stamford Bridge.

While Rudiger’s wages were always going to be enormous when arriving on a free transfer, his release clause is a little baffling as Real Madrid have set it at a whopping €400 million (£342m).

The central defender has already completed his medical with the Spanish club, although official confirmation of the move will not come until after Real Madrid have faced Liverpool in the Champions League final.

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It has been apparent for some time that Rudiger would not be extending his stay at Chelsea and the sanctions placed on the club by the UK government have made convincing him to stay impossible.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel has been trying his best to keep hold of his compatriot, but is has proved unsuccessful.

‘We fought hard; I fought hard on a personal level,’ said the Chelsea manager. ‘We made big offers to him, and the club tried everything. But for some weeks we cannot fight any more because we have the sanctions.

‘We cannot adjust. We cannot continue, and so it is what it is.’

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