Four options for Eden Hazard's next club as Real Madrid release Chelsea legend

Real Madrid and Eden Hazard have agreed to rip up the Belgian winger's contract a year early in order to save money in wages and end his horror spell with Los Blancos

Posted Sunday, June 04, 2023 by Dailystar.co.uk

Eden Hazard and Real Madrid have agreed to terminate his contract

Real Madrid have finally ended Eden Hazard's nightmare time at the Santiago Bernabeu by releasing the midfielder.

The Belgian's contract was set to expire next year but he and the club have agreed to part ways at the end of this month.

Chelsea legend Hazard left the Blues back in 2019 in a deal that could have reached up to £130million, had all bonus requirements been met. But the playmaker's lacklustre spell in Spanish football now sees him depart a year before fulfilling his initial five-year deal.

Hazard's time in Madrid can be best characterised by unrelenting injuries, poor training and a lack of fitness.

All of that led to a breakdown in relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane and now Carlo Ancelotti. And Los Blancos finally decided to cut their losses by terminating his contract with eight titles - but just four goals in four league campaigns - to his name.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported Hazard is now mulling over whether to join another club or to hang up his boots.

“Eden Hazard will now decide on whether to try a new chapter or retire from professional football career,” he tweeted.

But there are still believed to be several teams interested in signing the two-time Premier League winner and former La Liga champion.

Among those most likely to secure his signature is Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.

Al-Hilal recently hit the headlines for their relentless pursuit of Lionel Messi, who they want to award a contract worth a record £350m-a-year.

While Hazard is unlikely to receive such a huge sum, it would still provide a huge payday for the ageing attacker.

French outlet Foot Mercato claimed in May that Al-Hilal were interested in signing the player, though Hazard at the time was keen to see out his Madrid contract and no concrete offers were made.

Now a free agent, the slower pace of Saudi football could tempt Hazard to join Cristiano Ronaldo's rival side.

As such, Hazard seems far less likely to Ronaldo at Al-Nassr now than he did in January, where he held talks with the now sacked-Rudi Garcia over a potential move. The pair had enjoyed a successful spell working together at Lille.

Another potential destination for Hazard this summer is Turkish outfit Fenerbahce.

The Super Lig giants have shown no reluctance to sign former Premier League flops - as with Mesut Ozil and Dele Alli - but will hope Hazard makes more of an impact than the Englishman.

According to former Fenerbahce chief Hasan Cetinkaya, Hazard once told him personally that he will play for the club one day.

Cetinkaya said: "Eden Hazard is an old friend of mine, I've known him since he was 15 or 16 years old and still played for Lille.

"He had incredible sympathy for Fenerbahce and gave me his word: 'Hasan, one day I'll play for Fenerbahce, I just do not know when that will be.'"

Several former elite players currently reside in Turkey and enjoy the less competitive standard of football while still reaping the benefits of playing at a huge club.

The last potential destination - and one which will please Chelsea fans - is Stamford Bridge.

Though more of a sentimental move than a logical one, owner Todd Boehly has shown on multiple occasions that he is willing to do the unthinkable and pull off spur of the moment type transfers.

It is unclear just how much ability Hazard would add to the star-studded Chelsea squad at his current level, though his arrival would no doubt boost spirits in west London at the end of an otherwise dismal season.