Chelsea confident of keeping Eden Hazard despite Real Madrid interest
Chelsea are confident of keeping Eden Hazard next season despite reports linking Real Madrid with a world-record bid of £100million.
The Stamford Bridge club this morning declined to comment on speculation that the 26-year-old could move to Spain this summer in the belief those stories were merely unsubstantiated rumours.
Manager Antonio Conte is believed to be unconcerned by claims from former Real president Ramon Calderon that the club would not baulk at paying a huge fee.
Calderon said: “£100 million is now the bar... so I think that’s how much a club like Chelsea would be asking for, but the economy at Real Madrid is healthy. I don’t think that would be a problem for them.”
Real are holding presidential elections and Florentino Perez is expected to attempt to retain the office by delivering another Galactico and has identified Hazard as his preferred choice.
It is understood that while manager Zinedine Zidane is an admirer of Hazard, any pursuit of the Belgium international would be driven by Perez’s desire to land a big-name target.
Zidane would like to strengthen other areas with Real expected to move for a keeper — Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois and Manchester United’s David De Gea top the list — and Real’s budget would be reduced should they commit such a vast sum to signing Hazard.
Hazard is contracted to Chelsea until 2020 but his excellent form this season is expected to be rewarded with a new offer in the coming months, increasing his current £200,000-a-week wage.
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