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It's no longer news that Antonio Rudiger will not continue with Chelsea after the current season. Based on a report from BBC Sport, the 29-year-old has agreed to join Real Madrid on a four-year deal.
Rudiger joined Chelsea in 2017 from AS Roma. During his stay in London, he has transformed into one of the best defenders in Europe. He leaves Chelsea with five major trophies in five years - the FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Antonio Rudiger will become the sixth player to join Real Madrid directly from Chelsea
Rudiger is not the first Chelsea player to move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Stamford Bridge. In recent years, a couple of big names have also traded sides between the two clubs.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five other players who joined Los Blancos from Chelsea.
#5 Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben was the first player to move to Real Madrid from Chelsea. In 2004, the Blues paid €18m to PSV Eindhoven to get his services for then-manager Jose Mourinho. The Dutchman played a key role in Chelsea's success in the mid-2000s, winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Community Shield.
Robben's skills and brilliance were noticed by Real Madrid, and in August 2007 he signed a five-year-deal with Los Blancos. In his first season in Spain, he scored five goals in 28 appearances across competitions as Real Madrid won La Liga.
However, Robben's stay in Madrid will be short-lived. The arrival of Florentino Perez in 2009, and the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka meant he would only spend two seasons at the club.
His position in the team came under threat due to which he subsequently joined Bayern Munich at the start of the 2009-10 season. Robben ended his time in Spain with 13 goals in 65 appearances. He also won the Supercopa de Espana during his time at the club.
#4 Ricardo Carvalho
Jose Mourinho brought Ricardo Carvalho to London from Porto and also took him to Madrid from London. Carvalho joined Chelsea from Porto in 2004, helping the club win two Premier League titles in a row. He was also a key member of the Chelsea side that won a domestic double in the 2009-10 season under Carlo Ancelotti.
At the end of the season, the Portuguese left Stamford Bridge to link up with Mourinho at the Santiago Bernabeu. Carvalho formed a solid partnership with fellow Portuguese defender Pepe as Madrid won the 2011-12 La Liga title with a record 100 points.
He spent two seasons in Spain, winning La Liga and Copa Del Ray before leaving for AS Monaco in 2013.
#3 Micheal Essien
Michael Essien is another player who played for Chelsea and Real Madrid under Mourinho. The energetic defensive midfielder was an instant hit for the Blues, winning the league in his first season at the club in 2006.
His stint with Los Blancos came during the 2012-13 season. It was a season-long loan deal where he scored twice in the league and made 35 appearances across competitions before returning to England.
The former Ghanaian international is one of Chelsea's most decorated players. He won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, the UEFA Champions League and the League Cup.
#2 Thibault Courtois
Thibaut Courtois' transfer was one Chelsea-Real Madrid transfer that didn't go down well with fans of the West London club. The 29-year-old was signed by Chelsea in 2011 but was immediately loaned to Atletico Madrid, spending three seasons in Spain.
In 2014, he returned to Stamford Bridge, becoming the club's first choice. Courtois won two Premier League titles and the Golden Glove before forcing a move to the Spanish capital after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Belgian is still Real Madrid's first-choice goalkeeper and has won La Liga and the FIFA Club World Cup once each and Supercopa de Espana twice. He is still sometimes booed by Chelsea fans whenever he plays against the Blues.
#1 Eden Hazard
The transfer of Eden Hazard is arguably the biggest between the two clubs. Hazard spent seven seasons in England playing for the Blues. During his spell with the West Londoners, he made a name for himself as one of the best players in the game.
Hazard wowed the fans at Stamford Bridge with his brilliance and elegance. With 110 goals in 352 appearances, he became the club's fifth all-time top scorer behind only Bobby Tambling, Peter Osgood, Didier Drogba, and Frank Lampard.
The Belgian was on Madrid's radar for a few seasons, and in 2019, they splashed €100m to bring him to the Bernabeu. However, Hazard's career has taken a decline since joining the Madridistas.
Despite winning the league title in his first season at the club, he has failed to replicate his form and brilliance in Spain. Recurring injuries have limited Hazard's playing time and performances.
Hazard has scored just six goals in 65 appearances across competitions since moving to Spain in 2019.
