Chelsea's center back, Antonio Rudiger,'s move to Real Madrid is almost complete, with the German likely to join the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.

The Blues attempted to negotiate a deal to keep him in west London, but due to fines imposed on Roman Abramovich and the subsequent UK government special licence the club is operating under, they have been unable to continue talks for several months.

As a result, Real Madrid made their move and convinced the Stamford Bridge favorite to relocate to Spain this summer. It is a loss to which more and more Chelsea fans have resigned themselves during the season as negotiations have stalled.

"The situation is that he wants to leave the club." "He informed me of this in a private conversation," Tuchel said after the 1-0 win over West Ham. "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 that plays 50-55 games at an outstanding level. He has been a top defender for the last one-and-a-half years for me. We then need to find another solution.

Rudiger has been an integral part of Chelsea's side since Tuchel's arrival, making 74 appearances under his compatriot. Only Mason Mount (76) has been called upon more times.

On Tuesday afternoon, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano tweeted further details of Rudiger's transfer, including when it would be announced and how long the contract would be.

"Everything is now done between Real Madrid and Toni Rüdiger," the journalist wrote on Twitter. "The deal has been completed," club sources confirm: he will play for Real. contract until 2026. There’s no option for further seasons. official announcement: end of the season. "