EPL: Tuchel confirms Rudiger will leave Chelsea

Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, has confirmed Antonio Rudiger will leave the club at the end of the season.

Rudiger’s current contract at Stamford Bridge is due to expire this summer and the German defender has failed to reach an agreement with the club.

The 29-year-old’s agent has already held talks with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United ahead of a summer move.

And Tuchel revealed after Chelsea’s 1-0 win over West Ham on Sunday that Rudiger has decided to call an end to his time at Stamford Bridge.

‘Toni… the media is on it. The situation seems to be that he leaves the club,’ Tuchel said.

‘He informed some days ago in a personal talk.

‘We gave everything, me and the club, but we could not fight anymore because of the sanctions.

‘[Without the sanctions] we would at least have had the chance to keep on fighting, so since many weeks our hands are tied. I don’t know what would’ve been the outcome. We don’t take it personally.

‘Character-wise and personally he is a key figure and he will stay that way until the end of the season. But it is very disappointing, of course.