Eden Hazard has admitted he would consider an approach from Real Madrid and that he is yet to begin negotiations with Chelsea about extending his contract at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgium international still has three years to run on his £200,000-a-week contract at the Premier League champions but has been a longstanding target for Real, who won a third Champions League title in four seasons on Saturday night with victory over Juventus in Cardiff. Five years to the day since Hazard confirmed he would be signing for the champion’s league winner [sic], the forward, who will miss Belgium’s internationals against Czech Republic on Monday night and a World Cup qualifier against Estonia next week with an ankle injury, hinted for the first time he could leave Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian Football Association confirmed that Hazard fractured his right ankle during a training session in Tubize on Sunday, with the forward expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks.
“Of course I would consider it if Madrid made an offer,” Hazard said. “I am keen to win trophies. It would be great to win the Champions League. But Chelsea’s goal is to win the Champions League as well. Honestly I do not know what will happen.
“I only know that I still have a contract with Chelsea for three seasons and that we just had an amazing 2016-17 campaign. We want to continue on this path and want to build on this in the Champions League. “I am feeling very well at Chelsea. But you never know what will happen. I have not met the board yet to discuss a new deal.” Denied the forthcoming internationals, he added: “I want to think about football as little as possible.”
Antonio Conte reiterated his desire to keep Hazard after he was instrumental in helping the Italian win the title in his first season in the Premier League but admitted that his future would depend on “the will of the player”.
“I think Eden is very happy to stay in Chelsea, to stay with us and work with us,” he said. “I can tell this. But the future? I haven’t a crystal ball, no. I think everything is possible. Everything is possible in football and not only for Eden but for every single player. You must understand that there are different wills to compare and then to take the decision.”
The Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane, has previously expressed his interest in Hazard, who scored 16 goals in the league as Chelsea won a second title in three seasons. But any move could potentially cost Real a world record fee in excess of the €100m Manchester United paid to sign Paul Pogba last summer.