- Chelsea and Newcastle have been linked with a January swoop for Eden Hazard
- The Belgian, 30, has fallen out of favour at Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti
- Hazard has started just five games this season and did not feature in El Clasico
- ESPN reports that Madrid want to recoup at least £42m for the 30-year-old
Newcastle United and Chelsea have reportedly been alerted to the possibility of signing Eden Hazard in January with the Belgian attacker struggling for game time at the Bernabeu.
Hazard, 30, has struggled to reach the heights that convinced Madrid to splash out an initial fee of £89million two years ago, with performance-based incentives taking that figure to £150m.
However, injuries have derailed the former Chelsea star’s progress in Madrid, where he has scored just five goals across 52 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos.
This week, Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti gave a damning indictment of Hazard’s prospects at the Bernabeu, telling the Belgian to ‘put up’ with the reality that he is low down in the pecking order.
‘He has absolutely everything but he has to put up with the situation,’ Ancelotti told Spanish media. ‘Right now he has a coach who prefers other players.’
And according to ESPN, a number of Premier League clubs have been sounded out over their interest in signing the 30-year-old in January, including former club Chelsea, as well as Newcastle.
It remains unclear at this stage whether either club hold a serious interest in landing Hazard, and whether the Belgian is willing to call time on his career at the Bernabeu.
Madrid are looking to raise funds for a big summer window in 2022, with Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland on the club’s radar.
Mbappe, 22, will be available for free when his contract expires but is expected to demand a huge signing on fee and wage package from Los Blancos.
Haaland will be available for a fee of just £64m owing to his release clause, but Madrid will face heavy competition from Man City and Chelsea for the Norwegian’s signature.
Hazard has three years left on his deal at the Bernabeu and ESPN’s report claims that Madrid will be looking to recoup at least €50m (£42m) for him.
The Belgian spent seven largely successful years at Stamford Bridge, where he won the Premier League on two occasions.
Premier League strugglers Newcastle are expected to spend big in January following their £305m Saudi-backed takeover.
The Magpies have also been linked with a mega-money move for Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid Florian Wirtz.
Daily Mail
