Eden Hazard getting tempted over January departure from Real Madrid — reports

Eden Hazard’s plan was to see out the season at Real Madrid, with the Athletic also reporting on similar lines. But he may also be starting to get tempted over a departure in the winter transfer window owing to the options available to him should he decide to make a switch.

Hazard’s physical condition is at an all-time low, with club doctors even advising manager Carlo Ancelotti to not grant him starts in consecutive matches. The previous sympathy that was given to him by the Real hierarchy has now seemingly dissipated, and he’s seen as a burden these days, alongside Gareth Bale.

“Eden has a significant injury history. Now, usually, he avoids contact in his game. When you have a past like his, you subconsciously think about it. However, that is not why he no longer dribbles [past] 5 or 6 players. He doesn’t need to do that to have a good game. Now he moves more intelligently on the field.”

-Christian Benteke; Source: Managing Madrid

Hazard himself is unhappy with his role, after being the axis of the attack, a leader and a central figure for so many years at Chelsea. Hazard still wants to return the investment that Los Blancos made on him — which could reach upwards of €150m with bonuses — but he’s starting to realize that may never be possible, and that his career at the Santiago Bernabéu may be effectively over.

Therefore, according to ABC Deportes and Marca, the 30-year-old is now seriously considering a departure in January, with different parties starting to show an interest in signing him. Chelsea and Newcastle United were already reported to be interested, and Juventus and an unnamed English side have also joined the queue apparently.

None of the sides have presented an official loan offer to Real Madrid, but they have made plans to see how they could sign him in January. Real’s desire would be to transfer him next summer, which would also help them free up the wage bill for the signings of Kylian Mbappe, Paul Pogba and Antonio Rüdiger. In the meantime, they would approve a loan with a purchase option that would enable Hazard to regain some modicum of his previous form.