Blues boss Tuchel confirmed last weekend that Rudiger will leave Chelsea at the end of the season when his contract expires, which is a huge blow to the Blues as they look to launch an ongoing title fight next season. Lampard didn't like Rudiger and didn't make the most of it, but the German became a key figure after Tuchel took over, so much so that in the 2021-22 season he started more games than any other Chelsea player (47 games) and recorded 4380 minutes of playtime in all competitions. Chelsea wanted to keep Rudiger at Stamford Bridge but failed to reach an agreement after lengthy contract negotiations between the two sides.
His departure will be a huge blow to the Blues, who are now expected to lose three defenders this summer, with Christensen and Azpilicueta set to follow the German away from Stamford Bridge. Rudiger played his part in helping Chelsea not concede 13 games, the fourth-best performance of the Premier League centre-back this season – Van Dijk led 19 games and the experienced Thiago Silva's nine were the closest chelsea team to that achievement. Chelsea have conceded a total of 27 goals in the Premier League this season, 18.5 per cent of which were in the three games Rudiger missed before facing West Ham on Sunday, and his importance has been magnified. Whether it's a four-back or a three-back, Chelsea fans can rest assured that when the 29-year-old comes on the pitch, he's much more likely to keep his opponent's shot out. Therefore, the loss of a good defender like Rudiger in vain could be disastrous for West London, at least in the short term.
None of Tucher's centre-backs – with the exception of Silva – can provide an offensive defensive approach like Rudiger.'s Of all Chelsea players, he ranked fourth (62 times) in tackles and interceptions, either eliminating danger or taking a more physical approach, which has been a key reason for his and Chelsea's defensive success this season. In addition, out of 147 players who have competed for the top 50 times or more, the German ranks fifth with a 75% success rate of the top. Attacking players often have a hard time beating Rudiger when the ball is on the ground or in the air, so much so that in the 28 league games he played in, he was only missed about 10 times, averaging just 0.4 times per game. So Rudiger's imminent departure will undoubtedly raise concerns for the Blues.
With the current three defenders expected to leave West London this summer and Silva now 37, Chelsea's defence may be solid right now, but at the current pace only the Brazilian, Trevor Chaloba and Maran Sal will be Tuchel's three centre-back options for next season. There is no doubt that the club will invest in defenders in the offseason, but after allowing Tomori and Gei to permanently transfer ac Milan and Crystal Palace respectively, the club will be in such a situation, which shows that there is a problem with the club's development strategy. Whether the club relies too much on some players and is not accountable enough for others remains to be seen, however, Tomori and Gei have left Stamford Bridge and continue to impress in their new environment. The former would fill the right centre-back position well, while the latter would show he could perfectly enter the three-man line and excel on the left, a position that needs to be addressed precisely when Rudiger leaves in the summer.
Still others are thought to be moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer, where they can help make up for The sadness of Rudiger's departure. Comte, De Ligt and Sauloy are all rumored targets for the Blues, but no one can offer the same defensive determination that chelsea can easily beat. In addition, none of the three will join at a low price, and with Tomori and Guy leaving for a relatively solid transfer fee, Chelsea are worse off than letting them stay, at least financially. However, Rudiger's departure from Stamford Bridge will upset fans. He has become a key figure under Tuchel and his transfer may need more than one transfer period to make up. Even if Chelsea do sign Comte or De Ligt, or another possible target to replace Rudiger, the Germany international's experience in the league and system means his free departure is a huge blow to Chelsea's narrowing of the gap with Manchester City and Liverpool.