'Who Is This?': Carlo Ancelotti Plays Dumb When Asked About Antonio Rudiger's Links With Real Madrid
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti played coy after being asked about Antonio Rudiger's expected summer move to the Bernabeu.
Rudiger, 29, is out of contract with Chelsea at the end of the season and will leave the club on a free transfer after rejecting the offer of a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
Several of European football's top clubs had hoped to convince Rudiger to join them in the summer, including Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
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But Real Madrid appear to have won the race to sign the Germany international.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted on Monday: "The agreement between Toni Rudiger and Real Madrid has been reached on a four year deal, valid until June 2026. #RealMadrid
"It's matter of final details before signing the contracts. No official announcement before the end of the season, even if Toni will sign in May."
Ancelotti was asked about those claims following Madrid’s 4-3 defeat to Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night.
"Antonio Rüdiger... Who is this?!" 😏
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) April 26, 2022
The reaction from Carlo Ancelotti should tell you all you need to know about that potential transfer!
🎤 @AndyKerrtv #beINUCL #UCL #MCIRMA
Watch Now 👉 https://t.co/NRYe31nXnO pic.twitter.com/jhcJdp3WcJ
📸 Ancelotti's face when he was asked about Rudiger. @FabrizioRomano @beINSPORTS_EN pic.twitter.com/nyXkUPEBkA
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 26, 2022
And his response has convinced fans that Rudiger is on his way to the Bernabeu.
"Toni Rudiger? Toni who? Who is this?" Ancelotti joked to beIN Sports, smiling as he answered the question.
"He's still a Chelsea player. I can’t say anything about this."
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has already confirmed Rudiger will leave the club at the end of the season despite his efforts to convince the defender to stay.
"We fought hard; I fought hard on a personal level," Tuchel said.
"We made big offers to him, and the club tried everything.
"But for some weeks we cannot fight any more because we have the sanctions [against club owner Roman Abramovich].
"We cannot adjust. We cannot continue, and so it is what it is."
Topics: Antonio Rudiger, Real Madrid, Transfers, Chelsea, Football, Carlo Ancelotti, La Liga, Premier League
Rory O'Callaghan