Hazard ‘has power’ to force Real switch
EDEN HAZARD, not Chelsea, will decide if he will move to Real Madrid this summer, according to former Real president Ramon Calderon.
Chelsea insist Hazard is happy at Stamford Bridge and is settled in London with his young family. He is under contract until June 2020.
But Real’s perennial interest has resurfaced, with speculation again linking Hazard with a switch to the Bernabeu.
And Calderon reckons a player has the power to force through a move if that is his wish and Real would be prepared to pay a world record fee in the region of £100million.
Calderon said: “Chelsea aren’t a selling club, so it wouldn’t be easy, but as always it would depend on the wishes of the player. If he wants to leave, he will leave.
“It’s all about the player. The player must say, ‘I want to leave and go to Real Madrid’, and that will be the moment they start negotiating.”
The Belgium playmaker has been rejuvenated under coach Antonio Conte as the Blues have taken a 10-point lead with 10 Premier League games to go.
Hazard, who joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012, was linked with Real after Chelsea’s 2014-15 title success, but his poor performances last term and Real’s transfer embargo meant speculation subsided – until now.
Calderon added: “Chelsea know how much has been paid in the market over the last few years, with (Cristiano) Ronaldo, (Gareth) Bale and (Paul) Pogba –£100million is now the bar.
“So that’s how much Chelsea would be asking but the economy at Real is healthy – that wouldn’t be a problem for them.”