Chelsea transfer news: Eden Hazard, Zinedine Zidane, N’Golo Kante
Could PSG star Neymar ruin Hazard’s dream move to Real Madrid?
Mystery surrounds Real and Hazard
Eden Hazard’s dream of joining Real Madrid could be about to bite the dust because of the Spanish club’s interest in Neymar.
The Sunday Times claims that Real “have set their sights” on signing Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain this summer and they are “confident” they can prise the Brazil international from the French capital.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The 27-year-old left Barcelona for PSG in the summer of 2017 for a world-record fee believed to be close to £200m, but he’s failed to fire in France and rumours suggest he is desperate to return to Spain.
The ST even goes so far as to state that Neymar has “encouraged Madrid’s interest” and if a move is agreed at the end of this season he will see his current net salary rocket by more than £25m a year.
It’s a sign of how desperate Real are to overhaul their struggling squad, who suffered another humiliating defeat in La Liga, this time 2-1 at home to relegation-threatened Girona.
PSG are apparently open to offers because of Neymar’s injury problems and also the pressure to meet Uefa Financial Fair Play regulations. But such a move, says the ST, has implications for Chelsea ace Hazard.
It’s no secret that the Belgian playmaker is eyeing a move to Real but the “vast financial outlay involved in signing Neymar reduces the likelihood of the Spanish club meeting Chelsea’s valuation of their star man”.
Zidane the man
If Real do snub Hazard it’s expected that the 28-year-old will succumb to Chelsea’s advances and sign a new contract that the ST describes as the most “lucrative” in the club’s history.
What may well persuade Hazard to pen a new deal is the claim in The Sun that one of Zinedine Zidane’s conditions for replacing Maurizio Sarri as manager is the retention of the Belgian.
The French legend also wants a £200m transfer kitty for the summer and if the Blues meet his requests then Zidane is expected to take over from Sarri at the end of the season.
Then again...
If Hazard needs cheering up after reading the Sunday Times’ report, he should turn to the Daily Express, because they claim that not only are Real Madrid still set on signing him in the summer, but they are also after Chelsea teammate N’Golo Kante.
Apparently the French midfielder “is considering his future because he isn’t enjoying life under Maurizio Sarri”.
The Italian gaffer has forced Kante into a box-to-box role when he prefers playing as a defensive midfielder, and that’s why he might leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, despite the fact he’s taking home £290,000 a week.
The Express says Real Madrid are ready to table an offer for Kante, but to further muddy the waters, the paper adds that PSG are also circling, presumably as they look to spend the money they will make selling Neymar to the Spanish club.
Cup clash
Tonight FA Cup holders Chelsea host Manchester United in a fifth-round tie at Stamford Bridge. The cup clash, a re-run of the 2018 final, kicks off at 7.30pm and is live on BBC One.
Hazard scored the winner from the penalty spot when Chelsea beat United 1-0 at Wembley Stadium last May.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Spanish cop, 20 million euros and 13 tonnes of cocaine
In the Spotlight Óscar Sánchez Gil, Chief Inspector of Spain's Economic and Tax Crimes Unit, has been arrested for drug trafficking
By The Week UK Published
-
5 hilarious cartoons about the rise and fall of Matt Gaetz
Cartoons Artists take on age brackets, backbiting, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The future of X
Talking Point Trump's ascendancy is reviving the platform's coffers, whether or not a merger is on the cards
By The Week UK Published
-
Thomas Tuchel to become next England football manager
Speed Read 'Divisive' German coach hopes to lead the men's team to victory
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published