Eden Hazard Denies Real Madrid Move In January
While rumors about a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid have been swirling around Eden hazard for years now, the Belgian star has insisted that the move won’t be coming during the January transfer window, despite soccer legends such as Rivaldo urging him to make the move to further his career, according to reports from The Week.
The 27-year-old had spoken earlier in the week about his childhood dream of joining Real Madrid and refused to rule out making the move at some point in his career. As his contract expires in 2020, the rumor mill has speculated the Real Madrid would make their move in 2019, with Chelsea at risk of losing him for nothing if his contract expires. That appears not to be the case for the first transfer window of 2019, which opens on the first day of January and runs through the end of the month, but that doesn’t guarantee Hazard will stay.
When questioned about whether a move to Real Madrid could boost his chances to win the elusive Balon d’Or, Hazard replied, “That’s why I want to go, maybe.”
Hazard’s ambition to realize his potential at one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world has received the support of one notable player, Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo, who says it would be in the Belgian’s best interest to make the move.
Eden Hazard's been discussing Real Madrid again.
But it's good news for Chelsea fans ? https://t.co/MKlxV9Qbkm pic.twitter.com/9TF24oZbxZ
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 11, 2018
“In my opinion, Hazard could play even better at Real Madrid than in England as Spanish football gives a little more freedom to the players,” said Rivaldo, a former member of Real Madrid’s arch-nemesis Barcelona. “This kind of move could be good for the club and fans, as the arrival of a top player would give a much needed boost after [Cristiano] Ronaldo’s departure.”
There is one major roadblock in Real Madrid’s quest to sign Hazard that surprisingly isn’t Chelsea’s reluctance to sell him. Hazard is currently on a massive weekly wage of £300,000, an amount that it isn’t certain the Spanish club could match.
There is also the perception that Hazard would be something of a luxury player for the club. After losing Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus over the summer, Karim Benzema and Mariano Diaz haven’t exactly slotted in as proper replacements for the goal-scoring machine and global superstar. Real Madrid will likely make signing a world-class striker their main priority, which could leave them a bit short in the transfer budget when it comes time to sign Hazard.
