Eden Hazard has struggled to produce throughout his Real Madrid career amid talk of a Bernabeu exit but Carlo Ancelotti insists the Belgian still has a part to play in Spain
Eden Hazard is still an “important” part of the jigsaw at Real Madrid despite seeing his career nosedive since leaving Chelsea.
The Belgian, regarded as one of the Premier League’s finest players during his time at Stamford Bridge, made the switch to Spain in a deal worth up to £129m but has failed to live up to the price tag. Hazard’s stock has fallen, both with his club and his country.
Belgium endured a forgettable World Cup, exiting in the group stages after being beaten by Morocco. Hazard has lost his place as a starter with the national team and, despite being very much a squad player at Los Blancos, Carlo Ancelotti insists he has a role to play.
He said: “I see him well. He has trained well. I see him better than before the World Cup, it’s true. I’m sure that with all the games we have ahead of us, Hazard is going to be important.”
Hazard has only made seven appearances in all competitions this term with the likes of Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo and Ernesto Valverde all ahead of him in the pecking order. The Belgian has spent considerable amount of time on the sidelines, making just 72 appearances in more than three seasons.
Previously named the PFA Player of the Year in England whilst at the Blues, Hazard has now found himself apologising for failing to replicate that kind of form, scoring just seven times for the Spanish giants.
Back in November he told Marca in an interview: “I’m sorry. I’m trying, but … I’m sorry. I have one more year and I have to show [what I can do] but it isn’t easy. I’m not playing, I want to play more. I’m really sorry about what has happened.”
Ancelotti’s comments have appeared to quash any idea of the 31-year-old playmaker leaving the Spanish capital. Several Madrid players, including Marco Asensio and Dani Ceballos, could leave in the summer once their contracts expire.
Hazard confessed he could endure a mid-season exit if the Los Blancos hierarchy decided to cut their loses. He said previously: “In January it’s impossible, because I have my family and I like the city,” he said. “But in the summer it’s possible that I leave. I have a year left on my contract and it’s a decision for the club. If the club says ‘Eden, thanks for these four years, but you have to go’ I’ll have to accept it.”
He also claimed: “I want to play but it’s the manager who makes his choices. I accept [it], but I want to show him that I deserve to play more. When you don’t play it’s difficult.” Newcastle have been touted as a potential destination for the Belgian given their new-found financial power.
[DON’T MISS] Fabrizio Romano: ‘Fast’ player wants to move to Chelsea; ‘all parties feel it will be done soon’
Chelsea are close to completing the signing of AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, with the player wanting to make the move to Stamford Bridge and personal terms now in place, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Badiashile, dubbed ‘very fast’ by Monaco Vice President Oleg Petrov, is an out-and-out centre-back and is valued at a career-high €40m by Transfermarkt.
The 21-year-old has already made 135 senior appearances for his current employers after progressing through the youth system and has been capped 17 times by France at U21 level.
He is entering the final 18 months of his Monaco deal, and it looks as if he will soon be a Chelsea player with the Blues looking to finalise a transfer in recent days.
THE LATEST: ROMANO’S POST
Romano took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to share the latest on Badiashile’s potential move to Stamford Bridge, with personal terms in place.
The transfer expert said the defender ‘wants Chelsea’ and that ‘all parties feel it will be done soon’ in what will be a third winter window move after David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos.
THE VERDICT: GOOD NEWS
It is good to see that the player is keen on a move to the Premier League with Chelsea, and Graham Potter will be getting an exciting young centre-back who already has bundles of experience in Ligue 1.
Providing any late hiccups, you’d say that Badiashile will arrive and immediately challenge for a starting spot in London, with Potter tinkering between a back three and four during his short time in charge.
He already appears to be a rising star and you’d like to think he’ll only improve on his already impressive game in years to come, so this should be an exciting transfer for the Blues faithful.
SOURCE: mirror.co.uk, footballtransfertavern.com
