Chelsea legend reveals he helped persuade Antonio Rudiger to make free switch to Real Madrid from the Blues and names the 2 different groups the German may have joined

A former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder has claimed that he encouraged Antonio Rudiger to swap Stamford Bridge for the Bernabeu. 

The ex-Blues star made the move in the opposite direction when he signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2023. The Frenchman would go on to make 217 appearances for the west London club and was a crucial part of the Jose Mourinho squad that took the league by storm two decades ago. 

Rudiger, meanwhile, had the chance to move to the Spanish capital in 2022 as the clock ticked down on his contract. The German had established himself as a solid defender but with Los Blancos he has become one of the best in world football. 

Claude Makelele has now sensationally revealed that urged Rudiger to leave Stamford Bridge for Madrid three years ago amid interest from fellow European giants Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. 

‘Look at him now at Real Madrid,’ said Makelele via Marca. ‘The first thing he did when he got the chance at Real Madrid was come to me and say: “What do you think?'” I told him, run, this is your chance. 

‘He had offers from Bayern, PSG… but I said: “Do you want to win titles? You’ve already won some, you have everything, but do you really want to become a player at that level?”

Former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has claimed that he encouraged Antonio Rudiger to move to Real Madrid

The German has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world at Real Madrid

Rudiger was part of the Chelsea team that won the Champions League in 2021. He left the club on a free transfer the following summer

‘Then go there, rub shoulders with the great players and you’ll understand what it means. I’m happy for him.’

Rudiger has added a Spanish Cup, LaLiga title and Champions League to the European Cup he won while at Chelsea.  The 32-year-old has been ever-present for Carlo Ancelotti’s men this term, missing only three games, with two as a result of injury. 

Makelele spent three seasons at the Bernabeu at the height of the Galacticos era when marketable stars were favoured over quiet operators. His talents were largely underappreciated and resulted in him being sold to the Blues. 

His Madrid exit famously led Zinedine Zidane to ask: ‘Why would you put another gold layer on a Bentley, when you have already lost its engine?’

The Frenchman went on to redefine the central defensive role in England, which for a time was simply referred to by his name.