The revolution is still underway at Real Madrid, from an aging club to one focused on the future. In a few years, Madrid's management has changed its policy by parting ways with executives at the end of their careers, such as Luka Modric (40 years old), Lucas Vazquez (34 years old) and Nacho Fernandez (35 years old), while recruiting very promising young players last summer, including Dean Huijsen (20 years old), Franco Mastantuono (18 years old) and Alvaro Carreras (22 years old), as well as a popular trainer, a certain Xabi Alonso (43 years old).
In this sense, several elements of the current workforce are the subject of consultations regarding their future. Notably one in particular, whose latest performances are struggling to convince and his state of form is no longer that of yesteryear.
Away from the field since the beginning of September following a thigh injury, Antonio Rüdiger is not expected to return to competition before the end of November, at least. An absence only three months after another discomfort, this time in the knee, which caused the German central defender to miss out for two months, between April and June. This situation logically annoys Real Madrid, who took a drastic decision.
Rüdiger will not be retained by Real Madrid
This is the announcement made by the German press, and in particular Bild. At the end of the contract on June 30, 2026, Antonio Rüdiger will not be retained by Xabi Alonso and Florentino Perez. Downgraded in the hierarchy of central defenders behind Eder Militao (27 years old) and Dean Huijsen, the former Chelsea player who arrived in 2022 therefore no longer represents the future of the club in the Madrid capital, because it is too expensive and less efficient than usual according to the daily.
To replace him, Real is not short of avenues. Despite the failure of the William Saliba file (which extended with Arsenal until 2030), the Merengues ticked off the names of Ibrahima Koné from Liverpool, Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace and Dayot Upamecano from Bayern Munich. And in view of the case of David Alaba (33 years old), in a situation very similar to that of Rüdiger (at the end of his contract as well as injured several times), there is no doubt that the club will take action.
