One of the most promising talents in German football is heading to the Stadio Olimpico.
AS Roma announced Thursday that defender Antonio Rudiger has joined the club on a season-long loan from VfB Stuttgart for a fee of €4 million in a deal that also includes the option to make the transfer permanent from the 2016-17 season for a fee of €9 million.
(Courtesy: Roma)
Rudiger, 22, made his Bundesliga debut in January 2012 against Borussia Monchengladbach, and he subsequently established himself as a staple of Stuttgart's first-team squad. He has also made six appearances for Germany's national team, having made his international debut in May 2014.
#ASRoma announce shirt number for #Rüdiger http://t.co/ff4kmyO7iN pic.twitter.com/SN76A0Xf4r
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) August 19, 2015
"I'm absolutely delighted to be able to wear the Roma jersey," Rudiger told Roma TV. "I've come here to win titles, to win the Scudetto. I would like to thank all the Roma fans and promise them that I will give everything for this club."
Of course, no move to Roma is complete without a pat on the chest from Francesco Totti.
Looking forward to my new teammates! ?? #Totti #DajeRoma @ASRomaEN pic.twitter.com/Fn7x3eiM2L
— Antonio Rüdiger (@ToniRuediger) August 19, 2015
The season-long loan means that Rudiger is the sixth German player to join Roma following Jurgen Schutz, Karl-Heinz Schnellinger, Thomas Berthold, Rudi Voller, and Thomas Hassler.
