Chelsea willing to lose Eden Hazard for free next summer if Real Madrid fail to up £70m opening bid
CHELSEA are reportedly prepared to lose Eden Hazard for FREE if it means blocking Real Madrid’s bid this summer.
Hazard, 28, is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of next season so will be able to agree a move from January.
Real Madrid are plotting to go in with an initial bid of £70million for the Belgian star.
However, the Spanish giants know Chelsea will reject that offer but will use it to show their intent at landing Hazard.
According to the Express, Chelsea are happy to run the risk of losing their most-valuable asset for nothing.
Talks have been ongoing for the last year as the Blues try and tie the winger down to a new contract.
“I know what I am going to do. I have made a decision.” – Eden Hazard
They have offered him £300,000 per week to extent his stay in West London but Hazard seems to have his heart set on a move to the Bernabeu.
He has openly admitted that it is his dream to play for Los Blancos and the chance to work under Zinedine Zidane – who returned to the club this week – will only strengthen his desires.
Hazard told French radio station: “I know what I am going to do. I have made a decision.”
There have been plenty of rumours that friends and colleagues are convinced he is swapping the Bridge for the Bernabeu this summer.
However, Chelsea’s transfer ban looks like it could throw a spanner in Hazard’s plan.
With the Blues unable to make any signings this summer or in January, the only new player will be Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund.
It means Chelsea might instead be prepared to keep hold of Hazard for one more season because they simply cannot replace him this summer.
As exclusively revealed by SunSport today, Chelsea will not let both Hazard and fellow wantaway star Callum Hudson-Odoi leave this summer.
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Hudson-Odoi, who is also out of contract at the end of next season, is determined to force through a move to Bayern Munich but the Blues are reluctant to sell the teenager.
If Zidane and Real Madrid cannot land Hazard, they may turn their attention to Manchester City star Raheem Sterling.
The Frenchman admitted the club have monitored the winger in the past and his strong form this season could tempt Los Blancos to make a move.