London: Zinedine Zidane’s praise for Eden Hazard is poised to fall on deaf ears with neither Chelsea nor the Belgian international contemplating a summer move to Real Madrid.
Zidane, Real’s reserve team coach, sparked fresh speculation that the Spanish club could start a campaign to try to sign Hazard by speaking of his admiration for the forward. Zidane is tipped eventually to replace Carlo Ancelotti as manager of Real’s first-team, but Hazard has no plans to leave Chelsea any time soon.
Hazard, 24, signed a five-and-a-year contract in February and sources close to the Belgian insist that he wants to keep playing at Stamford Bridge next season and beyond. While Hazard will no doubt be flattered by praise from Zidane, who he idolised as a child, the player is settled at Chelsea and is unlikely to have his head turned at this moment.
Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, has admitted previously that every player has a price, but Real would have to make a world-record offer to stand any chance of tempting the Portuguese to sell Hazard. Zidane appeared to bracket Hazard in the top three players in the world by saying: “There are players I keep an eye on and who I like a lot, like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, of course. They’re fantastic players, but I like Eden Hazard a lot, too. I enjoy everything he does on the pitch. I like the way he carries himself, that decisive streak in him and the fact that he’s improving every year. He can still get better, too, and I think he’s a big reason why Chelsea are on top of the table.”
Chelsea’s resolve and Hazard’s loyalty could be tested if and when Zidane succeeds Ancelotti and is given the freedom to chase his own transfer targets. Mourinho is yet to hold talks with Didier Drogba after the veteran striker confirmed he would play on for at least another year.
Drogba’s contract expires at the end of the season and the Ivorian, 37, wants to keep playing, either at Chelsea or overseas. Should Mourinho decide against offering another playing deal at Chelsea, then Drogba is likely to receive a host of offers from Major League Soccer.
- The Telegraph Group Limited, 2015
