Chelsea have confirmed that Germany defender Antonio Rudiger has left the club to join European champions Real Madrid.
Rudiger, 29, joined the Premier League club in 2017 from Roma and became one of the stalwarts of the defence as well as a leader in the dressing room.
The centre back helped the team win the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.
However with the club’s ownership recently uncertain before Todd Boehly’s consortium completed their takeover Rudiger decided it was time to move on.
He was linked with a move to both Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as German champions Bayern Munich, before eventually plumping for the La Liga and Champions League winners.
Real confirmed the move, adding that it will be a four-year contract with no option.
Rudiger will join a central defensive unit that contains David Alaba and Eder Militao as well as club stalwart Nacho Fernandez.
He becomes Real’s first signing of the summer, having already very publicly missed out on PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe.
They are being heavily linked with a move for Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. Isco, Marcelo and Gareth Bale have all left the club on free transfers.