Antonio Rudiger is set to be handed a bumper pay rise when his free transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid is completed in the summer.
Rudiger’s future has long been a source of speculation and it now appears inevitable that the Germany international player is set to move to Spain.
Circumstances have aligned against Chelsea, who would have kept the player in normality. Instead, the sanctions taken out against the club have prevented them from discussing terms with the 29-year-old, who is not prepared to stall talks elsewhere in order for his future to be resolved in their favour.
Although there have been links with other clubs, including Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, it is being widely reported that Rudiger is heading to Real Madrid, where he is in line for a huge pay hike.
According to Sky Sports journalist Angelo Magniante, Rudiger will earn €9 million per season before bonuses over the course of a four-year deal and that an agreement is close.
Having been relatively peripheral to Chelsea before the arrival of manager Thomas Tuchel in January 2021, Rudiger has exploded in terms of his performance levels. His wage, though, does not reflect that. Indeed, he is one of the club’s most modestly paid players at around €6.2m per season.
It had previously been reported that Rudiger was aiming for a wage of around €12m – doubling his current salary – but the deal he is reported to have virtually agreed with Real Madrid, nevertheless, represents a healthy pay bump for him.
How will Rudiger’s wage compare to Real Madrid stars?
Although Real Madrid may be struggling with a large debt, they still pay their players handsomely and Rudiger’s €9m-per-season deal will leave him middle ranked in terms of the club’s pay scale.
His average pay, though, comes in response of years of overpaying players such as Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard, who have cost the club over €60m this season despite producing little of not on the field.