REAL WANT HAZARD, COURTOIS
May offer Rodriguez and Morata as part of the deal
REAL Madrid will try to sign Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois this summer, with Colombian James Rodriguez and Spain striker Alvaro Morata offered as part of the deal.
It is a presidential year at the Spanish club and although Florentino Perez is expected to win without serious opposition, he still wants to make a mark in the transfer market after two quiet years without a major signing.
Hazard has been singled-out by the club, with current coach Zinedine Zidane’s full backing, as the next player on the Galatico conveyor belt.
Madrid president Perez also wants Courtois to be the club’s new goalkeeper, which would mean not having to return to the failed attempt to prise David de Gea from Manchester United.
It is understood Real Madrid are already in contact with both players indirectly and although the pair are happy at Chelsea they would make the move to Spain.
Courtois has long hankered for a return to the Spanish capital where he spent three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid.
And Hazard is seduced by the idea of having a new Real Madrid team built around him.
The blueprint for next season has already been drawn up with Hazard at the top of a midfield diamond, flanked by Luka Modric and Toni Kroos and underpinned by the Brazilian Casemiro.
Gareth Bale would play up front alongside either Cristiano Ronaldo or Karim Benzema.
Chelsea are likely to resist bids for two of their most influential players but coach Antonio Conte is a huge admirer of Morata who he wanted to bring to Stamford Bridge last summer.
And the Colombian international Rodriguez is seen as the most like-for-like swap for Hazard on the market at the moment.
He has lost his way at Madrid but he is only 26 this July and remains a huge talent.
Courtois and Morata looks the more straightforward half of the business that Madrid want to do with Chelsea this summer.
The club are confident they can find another top goalkeeper if they lose the Belgian international.
And Morata is unsettled at Madrid because his first team chances continue to be limited despite his goals per games record.
Hazard will be more difficult to prise away from Roman Abramovich’s club.
Even if Chelsea subsequently get options on Rodriguez they will still demand a huge fee for 26year-old Hazard who they signed for £32 million (RM176 million) in 2012 from Lille. Daily Mail