“Sometimes a bit over-motivated but this is the way I like” – Rudiger picking former Real Madrid star as player he would like to play with resurfaces after Chelsea exit

An old video of Antonio Rudiger speaking about Real Madrid's Pepe has resurfaced. In the video, the former Chelsea defender expresses his desire to play with the Portuguese star.

Rudiger will join Real Madrid on a free transfer after his contract with Chelsea expired. The defender has penned a four-year deal with the Champions League winners and will join his teammates in training in July.

Right after Real Madrid confirmed the transfer, the old video of Rudiger speaking about Pepe resurfaced online. When asked which defender in football history he would have loved to partner with, the German replied:

"I would go with Pepe. The way he plays, I like it. It's always at the edge, sometimes a bit over-motivated but this is the way I like [to play]. I like him very much as a player. People just see the aggressiveness in him but honestly, the way he plays football, he's class."

Why did Rudiger leave Chelsea for Real Madrid?

Antonio Rudiger was keen on staying at Chelsea but could not get his contract renewed in time. The defender claims he waited for a long time to get the deal sorted.

However, he had to take a call as the club had sanctions imposed on them by the UK government and could not negotiate deals.

Rudiger wrote in The Players' Tribune:

"Unfortunately, my contract negotiations had already started to get difficult last fall. Business is business, but when you don't hear any news from the club from August to January, the situation becomes complicated. After the first offer, there was a long gap of just nothing. We're not robots, you know? You cannot wait for months with so much uncertainty about your future."

"Obviously, no one saw the sanctions coming, but in the end, other big clubs were showing interest, and I had to make a decision. I will leave it at that, because business aside, I have nothing bad to say about this club. Chelsea will always be in my heart. London will always be my home."

Rudiger joined the Blues from AS Roma and won the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, and the Club World Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.