Antonio Rudiger Becomes Sixth Chelsea Player To Move Directly To Real Madrid Since 2007

Real Madrid have visited their favorite Premier League store yet again by signing Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea on a free transfer.

Rudiger has penned a four-year contract with the European champions and will earn around €400,000 per week, according to Sky Sports.

The 29-year-old Germany international will be officially unveiled at a public event at the Bernabeu Stadium on June 20.

Antonio Rudiger (center) pictured in action for Chelsea against Real Madrid in April 2022

IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Apo Caballero

Sixth Chelsea Player To Move To Real Madrid

Rudiger is the sixth player to move directly from Chelsea to Real in the past 15 years.

He will link up with former Chelsea teammates Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois next season.

Hazard left Chelsea for Real in 2019 for the fee in the region of €100m but has yet to live up to that price tag.

Nevertheless, the 31-year-old Belgian will not leave this summer. Manager Carlo Ancelotti recently told Eurosport: "He remains motivated even though he has had a difficult time. He wants to show his quality. The plan for Hazard is clear, he stays."

Fellow Belgian Courtois is also going nowhere. Unlike Hazard, his stock has never been higher.

Courtois recently capped off a superb season with a man-of-the-match performance to help Real beat Liverpool 1-0 in the Champions League final.

The other three players who have swapped Stamford Bridge for the Bernabeu during the Premier League era are Michael Essien (2012), Ricardo Carvalho (2010) and Arjen Robben (2007).