Eden's out for £100m

CHELSEA will be powerless to stop Eden Hazard joining Real Madrid in a £100m transfer. That is the view of former Real president Ramon Calderon, who believes the only person to decide his future will be Hazard (left) himself. Chelsea insist Hazard is happy at Stamford Bridge and are prepared to offer him a lucrative new contract to stay at the club. But Calderon said: “As always it would depend on the wishes of the player. If he wants to leave, he will leave – that’s always the point. “It’s all about the player. He must say, ‘I want to leave and go to Real Madrid’, and that will be the moment they start negotiating.” Diego Costa recently suggested Hazard, who is under contract until 2020, would find it tough to turn down an approach from the Madrid giants. And Calderon believes Real

would have no problem breaking the £89m world record to bring him to the Bernabeu.

He said: “Chelsea will ask for a lot of money. I think that’s what the situation will be at the end of the season.

“They know quite well how much has been paid in the market over the last few years with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Paul Pogba – £100m is now the bar.

“That bar has been set by those transfers so I think that’s how much a club like Chelsea would be asking for.

“The economy at Real Madrid is healthy so I don’t think that would be a problem for them.”

Scuppered

Real have been linked with Hazard before but his poor form last season and the Spanish club’s transfer embargo scuppered any chance of a move for the Belgian.

Since then, Madrid have had their ban lifted and a rejuvenated Hazard has helped Antonio Conte’s Blues march towards the Premier League title.

The La Liga side are also interested in Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois but have yet to make a bid or even open talks over either player.

Conte, meanwhile, is keen on Real striker Alvaro Morata as he looks to strengthen for a Champions League push next season.