“Not a good sign”- Tuchel reveals how star defender broke the news of wanting to leave Chelsea

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel revealed how Antonio Rudiger communicated his interest in leaving the club

According to Chelsea’s official site, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that Antonio Rudiger directly communicated his feelings about an exit in the summer at the end of his contract.

A few days earlier, Tuchel confirmed that Rudiger would be leaving the club at the end of this season. He even reflected that due to the sanctions, the Blues found it harder to convince the German defender to stay. 

In his latest press conference, the manager has brought more clarity on the topic, revealing how his German compatriot broke the news. Tuchel said Rudiger came to his office one hour before training and talked directly about his decision. 

“When Toni knocks at your door one hour before training, it’s not a good sign. Normally, he doesn’t knock – he just grabs you in between and tells you something, so everybody thought this is not looking good. Then we had this brief conversation.”

The German manager even thanked the central defender for being transparent and honest with regard to his decision. Tuchel even reflected the strength of their bond when talking about the scenario, which is always good to see between a player and his gaffer.

First of all, I appreciated that he came and told me. I was one of the first, and that shows me we have a relationship where we handle things directly and honestly and are not afraid to tell each other what we think.”

How should Chelsea fans react to Rudiger’s departure?

Rudiger has been a loyal servant to our club since he joined in 2017. He has worked very hard under Tuchel to make himself one of the best central defenders in the land.

He showcased passion, determination, and quality whenever he featured for our team. He definitely made our team more robust and confident at the back. What underlines his character is how he has maintained his top-quality attitude and performances even during his contract saga at the Bridge.

Hence, we as fans should part ways with him on good terms. He respected the badge during his stay, and now when he is deciding on his future, we should respect that as well. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean ignoring the problem that arises this summer as a result of this exit.

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It would be tough to replace such a player but that doesn’t mean the Blues should stop trying. The Blues are yet to officially announce their new owners but fans would hope that once that is done, the club would shift its focus towards bringing in a couple of new faces to strengthen our defence this summer.