Eden Hazard dreams of joining Real Madrid edges closer after reports in Belgium say Chelsea have set a price tag on the Belgian international. The Belgium captain has been linked with Real Madrid since the beginning of the season and has also stated his wish to join the club.
The European Champions have been looking for a player to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo and they believed the former Lille player is the man to solve the problem.
According to the Mirror, Chelsea have resigned to losing the 27 year old in the summer but Real Madrid will have to pay at least £98.5million if they are to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid haven’t wasted any time making their renewed interest known, and this week tabled their first offer for the Belgian superstar. Chelsea, however, have rejected that initial bid and believe Real should smash their club transfer record if they want to sign Hazard.
Belgian outlet HLN claim the Blues will consider parting ways with Hazard, but will immediately reject any offers below £98.5m. Hazard has remained coy on his future, and on Tuesday said he is focusing on the remaining season with Chelsea rather than where he will be playing next term.
He said: “I am only thinking about that (last two months with Chelsea), not about what might happen in 2, 3, 4 months. I don’t know. We will see.”
It remains to be seen if Real will reach their asking price, but Chelsea are standing firm over the future of their prized asset. Real allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to leave of Juventus in a £105m move last summer, and the Stamford Bridge club feel Hazard is worth a similar fee.
Hazard has previously made no secret of his dream to play for Real Madrid.
“Real Madrid is the best club in the world,” Hazard was quoted as saying by ESPN last year. “I don’t want to lie, it is my dream since I was a kid. “I don’t want to talk about this every day. I don’t have time, but we will talk about my future soon.
“In my head, sometimes I wake up in the morning and think I want to go. Sometimes I think I want to stay. It is a hard decision. It is my future. “It is also when you have a dream and you want to make it happen. It is like I have said a lot of times, if I leave I will be happy, I know if I stay I will be happy.”