3 signings that could happen this summer as a result of Eden Hazard's transfer to Real Madrid

It is no longer news that Eden Hazard will be a Real Madrid player next season, having completed his long-sought after transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu in a deal worth over €100m.

The 28-year-old will be expected to hit the ground running and help in Real Madrid's rebuilding process following their disappointing campaign last season and judging by his performance levels over the years, it can be deciphered that this is a task which the Belgian international would be up to.

As expected, such a gargantuan transfer would have far-reaching consequences in the footballing world and Real Madrid can count the gains of signing a bonafide world-class player.

Any high profile transfer in football usually has consequent domino effects. The selling club might have to seek replacements, while previously guaranteed starters in the buying club could lose their first team place, needing to be loaned or sold to recoup some of the cash expended and balance the books.

Eden Hazard's signing could potentially set in motion a chain reaction of other transfers, as clubs seek to augment their squads ahead of next season. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at three transfers that could take place this summer as a result of Hazard's signing.

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#3 Gareth Bale to Manchester United

Real Madrid CF v Real Betis Balompie - La Liga

This is the most direct transfer which could take place as a result of Eden Hazard's arrival at Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane has made it explicitly clear that Gareth Bale has no future at the club and given the high financial value of Eden Hazard's deal, Real Madrid would have to sell off some players to recoup some money and avoid falling foul of FFP regulations.

The Welshman arrived Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 as the most expensive player in history but struggled to live up to expectations, with things getting to a head last season when he failed to step up in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence.

The Welshman's departure would also significantly reduce the club's wage bill, while also giving other youngsters like Vincius Jr and Marco Asensio the chance to shine.

Manchester United is a potential next destination for the 29-year-old, with Ed Woodward having expressed interest in the former Tottenham man, while Real Madrid have offered him to the Premier League giants as one of three players in makeweight deal to bring Paul Pogba to Real Madrid.

#2. Alexis Sanchez to Inter Milan

Manchester United v Southampton FC - Premier League

Another player who could indirectly be impacted by Eden Hazard's transfer to Real Madrid is Alexis Sanchez of Manchester United.

The Chilean international was the subject of a controversial transfer involving both Manchester clubs which was finally resolved in January 2018. The 30-year-old was made the highest paid player in Premier League history and it was expected that he would help in Manchester United's journey back to the top.

However, that has largely not happened and it is safe to say that the former Arsenal man has been a very expensive flop.

He costs the club a whopping £400,000 every week and his peculiar case puts United in a precarious position when negotiating new contracts for their players, as every player sees his salary as the benchmark in negotiations.

In total, Sanchez has scored just five goals from 45 matches in all competitions for the Old Trafford outfit and while his age and salary outlay might be a detracting factor for a potential transfer, Inter Milan have emerged as an alternative to ending his United nightmare although the deal reportedly comes with a caveat for him to accept a paycut.

#1. Mauro Icardi to Barcelona

SSC Napoli v FC Internazionale - Serie A

Although the Inter Milan hierarchy sees Alexis Sanchez as a potential replacement for Mauro Icardi, the Argentine international is likely to leave the club regardless of whether the Chilean arrives or not.

The 26-year-old has been nothing short of exceptional since arriving San Siro from Sampdoria in 2013 and he has gone on to score 111 goals from just 188 Serie A matches for the Nerrazurri, wining the Capacannoneire award on two occasions in 2015 and 2018.

However, his time at the club has not been without acrimony and this reached new lows last season, as he was involved in a bitter dispute with the cub which saw him dropped from the team and stripped off his captaincy.

New manager Antonio Conte has reportedly stated that he does not want Icardi in his team next season, with Barcelona emerging as a potential next club for him, as the club seeks a top striker to complement Luis Suarez in attack.

Mauro Icardi would be no stranger at the Nou Camp, having spent three years in the club's academy before completing a transfer to Serie A although his reported frosty relationship with talisman Lionel Messi could be a potential stumbling block to the transfer.