Reports: Eden Hazard to inform Chelsea he wants to join Real Madrid

What’s the rumour?

Chelsea star Eden Hazard is reportedly set to inform the club of his decision to join Real Madrid at the end of the season.

In case you didn’t know…

The Belgian has grown to become an integral part of the Blues since joining from Lille in the summer of 2012. The 28-year-old has been Chelsea’s go-to man in the last six years and has once again proven his worth by leading the club’s top four charge this season.

Hazard has so far managed 10 Premier League goals, plus a further 10 assists but is yet to sign a contract extension with the Stamford Bridge outfit.

This is on the back of the player flirting with a move to Real Madrid in recent times. At the beginning of the season, the Belgian admitted that it will be a dream for him to join the European champions.

The heart of the matter

With Chelsea still yet to reach an agreement over an extension with Hazard, the Telegraph reports that the forward has already decided on his future.

The report claims Hazard has decided to leave the Blues in the summer and will soon inform Chelsea about his decision. The Belgian, on his part, sparked speculation as he spoke about his future to French radio station RMC.

Confirming that he has made his resolve as to where he wants to be next season, Hazard said,

“I know what I will do. I have made my decision.”

Maurizio Sarri also confirmed his interest in holding on to the Chelsea number 10, but insisted he won't stop him from leaving the Stamford Bridge.

“Eden is 28. If he wants to go, I think he has to go. Of course, I hope the opposite. I hope he wants to stay here. He has the potential to be the best player in Europe at the moment.”

Chelsea could demand more than £100 million for the winger, although he just 12 months left on his contract. The Blues are also rumoured to have offered a new long-term contract that will see him earn £300,000 per week.

Rumour rating: 7/10

Hazard has won a lot with Chelsea and he may probably be thinking this is the best time to take his career to the next level. Also, it has been ages since Real Madrid have been pursuing him. They look at him as the man to replace Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Considering that Los Blancos are a step ahead of Chelsea and would offer him a better shot at winning the Champions League, the move is very likely to happen in the summer. That probably explains why Hazard has refused to extend his contract with Chelsea.

What’s next?

Hazard is expected to feature when Chelsea take on Manchester City on Sunday, in a game which could shape the top four race as well as the title race.