Eden Hazard reacts to a dramatic return to Chelsea as his next move
Eden Hazard has been linked with a stunning return to Stamford Bridge this summer following his release from Real Madrid
Eden Hazard is still without a club after leaving Real Madrid
It was reported that the return of Eden Hazard to Chelsea after the end of his contract with Real Madrid was never on the cards. The 32-year-old left the Spanish giants after enduring a nightmare four injury-hit seasons.
Hazard made just 76 appearances for Los Blancos and fell short of expectations following his initial £88.3m move to the Santiago Bernabeu. His time in Spain could not have been more different to his successful time in England, where he won both the Premier League and PFA Player of the Year awards twice. Hazard’s injuries have made his playing days uncertain, especially after failing to secure a move during the summer transfer window. But sometime during the summer, reports emerged of the Belgian’s return to Stamford Bridge in a sensational comeback. No move materialized and Hazard remains a free agent, although he reportedly has six teams offering him the chance to return to the game. Hints of retirement continued, especially as Hazard brought down the curtain on his time with the Belgian national team.
Now, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, returning to SW6 was never an option for Hazard. “Eden Hazard is still a free agent and has not yet decided if he wants to join a new club,” he told Caught Offside. “That’s because retirement is also an option for the former Real Madrid and Chelsea attacking midfielder. “Returning to Chelsea was never an option for the 32-year-old. This rumor started when Hazard was spotted at Stamford Bridge during Chelsea’s season opener against Liverpool. Hazard never played a part in luring Belgian Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, but a return to Chelsea was never discussed.
“Hazard really had no shortage of offers. Al-Hilal conducted the survey earlier this summer. Hazard also had a number of MLS options, including interest from Inter Miami. The Ligue 1 club have also discussed a return to Lille. And Nice also considered Hazard. “But the truth is that Hazard did not spend the summer discussing between clubs because before he can do that he has to decide if he wants to continue playing.”