Former Chelsea captain John Terry has hit out at the club for their handling of Antonio Rudiger’s contract after it was revealed the centre-back will leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Rudiger was one of three Chelsea centre-backs whose contract was set to expire at the end of the current season alongside Thiago Silva and Andreas Christensen. Chelsea managed to secure Silva on another year but had failed to agree new deals for Christensen and Rudiger before the club was sanctioned, cutting any business short.
While Christensen’s future appeared to be settled, away from Chelsea with Barcelona the most likely destination, there was still hope that Rudiger would at least verbally agree a new deal even if it couldn’t be made official until the summer.
But over the weekend reports emerged that Rudiger had decided to leave in the summer, and they were confirmed by Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel after the Blues’ 1-0 win over West Ham United on Sunday.
“He informed me some days ago in a personal talk,” Tuchel said.
“We gave everything and now we enter a situation where we can’t fight any more because of the sanctions and now Toni will leave.”
While some Chelsea fans had processed Rudiger’s potential departure earlier in the campaign, and have used the time since the announcement to thank the German for his time at the club, former Blues captain Terry has expressed his unhappiness.
“How have we let this man go,” Terry, who is currently back at Chelsea in a coaching consultancy role, commented on Instagram.
When the subject of Chelsea’s sanctions preventing them from agreeing a new deal with Rudiger was brought up, Terry replied: “Not for the last two years we haven’t [been under sanction].”
Rudiger joined Chelsea at the start of Antonio Conte’s second season in 2017, signing a five-year deal and has so far played 196 games for the club, helping them win the Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, Europa League and Club World Cup.
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The German has been Chelsea’s best centre-back this season and arguably Tuchel’s most-valuable defender having previously looked close to the door under Frank Lampard. And Terry believes Chelsea should have opened their chequebook to ensure they didn’t lose Rudiger.
“Give him 300k a week then,” Terry said when asked what more Chelsea could do.
“We will have to [spend] 80-100 million to replace him and also give that player at least 300k a week and won’t know how long it will take him to settle or even if he will.
“It’s very simple, the best players get paid the most, and you never let a players contract run down, as the club you always want the power, should have been sorted two years ago.
“Will cost us 80 million at least and I’m not sure who we go and get.”