Transfer Rumor: Will Eden Hazard finally make his move to Real Madrid?
Cons
Cup Tied
Something that all clubs do prior to signing a player is conducting a medical review before any ink is put to paper. The second most important thing would be the player’s eligibility. Eden Hazard is currently playing in the Champions League with Chelsea and if he was to come over to Madrid this window, he would be ineligible to play. Due to the player being cup-tied, it could give Madrid enough reason to push their approach off until this summer.
In Contract
Hazard is currently in a contract with Chelsea that has him there until 2020 which means a release clause would need to be paid. If the signing does not happen now, it is highly unlikely Madrid will ever purchase the player. Chelsea is currently looking to tie down the player and extend his current contract which would of course increase his buyout/release clause.
If that does happen, Florentino Perez and the board may find it more suitable to spend their heaps of cash on a different attacker who is younger in age, therefore increasing their return on investment so to speak. That could indeed be very plausible as Madrid are speculated to gun for Neymar and/or Mbappe despite both just signing Paris Saint-Germain over the summer.
Offloading Players
The signing and arrival of a new player more often than not result in the selling and departure of one or more players. Players leaving the club happens for a few reasons and sometimes more than one at the same time. Upon the arrival of a new player, those that are already there may feel that their playing time will be cut or that they are no longer valued by their club and considered incapable.
Real Madrid splashing the cash on Hazard would most likely result in the selling of players. The most probable departures would include Mateo Kovacic, Lucas Vasquez, Marco Asensio, or Isco. Such a move would be made to recover costs from the purchase. Given the ripe age and talent of Isco, and more so Marco Asensio, it is unlikely that they would be the ones to depart.
The departure of these youngsters would be a big blow to Real Madrid regardless of who they were to sign. Having them on the roster brings much depth and versatility to Madrid that seeing them go would drastically hurt the club.
Conclusion
Signing Eden Hazard has been almost like a folk tale for the past few years, and with each one that passes a little more spice is added. With all the snap, crackle, and pop Hazard could bring to Madrid, he may not be the right fit. Given his age, the huge sum that would be required to purchase him and his inability to play in Real’s favorite title, the Champions League, it may be better to let the Eden Hazard to Madrid talk remain just a tale.
Real Madrid isn’t looking sharp this season but halfway through it, now is the best time to start putting to the test players like Dani Ceballos, Marcos Llorente, and Jesus Vallejo and see if they are worth keeping around. With players like Isco, Asensio, and Vasquez, having all three is surely better than one Hazard.
Florentino Perez and Zidane would be wise to defer to the summer transfer window to sign a big player but in the meantime bringing in others like Kepa or Mohamed Salah, to push harder and make up ground in La Liga.
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