“I’m not leaving Chelsea because of the sanctions” – Rudiger Speaks Up About Real Madrid Move

Antonio Rudiger has denied claims that he’s leaving Chelsea on a free transfer at the end of the season because of the sanctions placed on the club.

The Germany international is out of contract this summer and has reportedly signed a four-year deal with Real Madrid where he would earn £315,000-per-week.

There were reports which alleged that the 29-year-old had decided to leave the club due to the sanctions which limited the club from holding contract talks or signing players.

However, Rudiger has insisted it was not because of the sanctions he decided to leave Chelsea.

“There was a chance but sanctions are not the problem,” he said after the FA Cup final defeat to Liverpool. “I don’t want to go too deep in things.

“At the end of the day it’s not only about one side [helping the other], it’s both sides – Chelsea have been great to me, I have been great to Chelsea.

“As always, I am very, very thankful, me, my family. I became a man here. My kids were born here and everything. London and especially Chelsea will always be special to me.”

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Reacting to the defeat to Liverpool, Rudiger admitted that he would have loved to bow out of the club with an FA Cup winners medal.

“It’s been five years as normal with ups and downs, but with a lot of positive things. That’s why I’m even more frustrated because I wanted to have a different ending.

“I think it was a good game like the Carabao Cup final. We had chances, they had chances. But at the end of the day we know that penalties are always a lottery. We lost. At the end of the day it’s about winning.

“It’s about today, it’s not about next season. The game was about today and it was there to take and, yeah, unfortunately we didn’t.”

Rudiger has proven pivotal at the heart of defence for the Blues this season and they will no doubt miss his services when he moves on.

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