Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger will be a free agent at the end of this season, and he is allowed to negotiate a transfer to any club out of England. Rudiger has been one of Chelsea’s most crucial players in recent years. He was incredible when they won the Champions League last season under Thomas Tuchel and has carried his form into the new season, in which Chelsea are once again playing some fantastic football.
Rudiger has been a regular starter for Chelsea in the Premier League as well as the Champions League. The above visual shows us the defensive metrics for Rudiger from the UCL group stages. He did not get to face many attacks from the opposition in the Champions League, which is why he has a low number of defensive actions per 90 minutes. The important stat here is that he has been able to win almost 80% of the defensive actions he has attempted.
He has a high winning percentage in defensive as well as aerial duels. As seen in the above visual, Rudiger has won most of his ground and aerial duels a bit higher up the pitch as Chelsea try and push their opponents behind.
If Los Blancos are successful in obtaining him, he will be yet another outstanding addition. While much has been said about Rudiger’s ability to adjust to a back four, it should be noted that he is a seasoned defender who will not play the same role at Real Madrid as he does at Chelsea. Both teams play very different styles of football, but Rudiger’s quality will ensure his success in Spain.
He is also at the prime of his career, with a good four or five years ahead of him if he maintains a good level of fitness. Additionally, his experience will be beneficial to Real Madrid, and he might once again provide Real Madrid with three excellent defenders to choose from.
