Chelsea star Jorginho has admitted that he and the rest of the squad are going to "miss" Antonio Rudiger following the news that he is set to leave west London.
The German defender is out of contract at the end of the season and whilst the Blues were remaining hopeful that he would extend his Stamford Bridge stay, it now seems near impossible. The UK Government sanctions laid down on the club have halted negotiations over a new contract, with Thomas Tuchel confirming that the former AS Roma man had made the decision to quit Chelsea this summer.
Tuchel said: "The situation is that he wants to leave the club. He informed me of this in a private talk. 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.”
The news leaves Chelsea in a tricky situation with Rudiger now having to be replaced in the upcoming summer transfer window - particularly with Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta also having uncertain futures in west London. Jorginho has broken his silence on Rudiger’s decision, indicating the impact that his exit is going to have on him personally and the club as a whole.
Speaking with Sky Sports, the Italian said: "He's been here a long time so if he leaves then we're going to miss him. He's a big personality and he's helped us a lot. We've had amazing times here; he's a good friend of mine and of course if he leaves everyone at the club will miss him, not just me."
When asked what he will miss most about the German, he replied: His craziness. He makes me laugh a lot; all of his jokes and laughs we've had together - that's the nice part."
Who do you think Chelsea will sign to replace Rudiger? Make your suggestions in the comments below.
Since arriving in the summer of 2017, the 29-year-old has gone on to become a key part of the side under Tuchel. Rudiger has made 196 appearances for the Blues, winning the Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
The German’s next destination is yet to be formally confirmed but all signs point to him signing for Real Madrid ahead of next season. Reports have suggested that he has ‘agreed’ a deal with the Spanish giants ahead of a free transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Blues have been linked with a number of defenders in anticipation of Rudiger waving goodbye to Stamford Bridge. It is expected that they could make a renewed attempt to sign Sevilla star Jules Kounde in the summer having been frustrated in their attempts to secure a deal last year.
