Spain overtook Chelsea as the world’s most dramatic managerial situation two days before the World Cup kicks off. Julen Lopetegui’s appointment at Real Madrid should quell fears of Eden Hazard leaving the Blues.
While Chelsea go through another cycle of debating whether they might possibly some day consider potentially negotiating Maurizio Sarri’s release clause, Spain showed the kind of decisiveness that once defined Roman Abramovich’s approach to managerial employment. The day after Real Madrid announced Julen Lopetegui as their next manager, Spain sacked Lopetegui from the national team and replaced him within hours. All this two days before Spain’s World Cup opener.
The key element for Chelsea around any movement at Real Madrid is what it means for Eden Hazard. On this front, no hire would have the same impact on Hazard’s future as Zinedine Zidane’s departure did.
Zidane, Real Madrid and Hazard were a perfect storm of transfer potential. Hazard and Zidane openly admired each other, and spoke of their wishes to someday work together. Real Madrid are one of the few clubs with the money to afford Hazard, and the ambition and talent to attract him. Zidane brought Real Madrid unprecedented success at a time when Chelsea were particularly unstable and declining. Add in the strange interlock between Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard, and the Blues had a real struggle on their hands.
Zidane’s resignation removed a crucial element from that scenario. Without Zidane, Hazard would not have his patron at Real Madrid. He would be “just another” galactico, fending for himself amongst the players and against the unforgiving fan base.
Julen Lopetegui, to all appearances and public knowledge, has no particular affinity for Eden Hazard. Nor has Hazard ever spoken admiringly of Lopetegui. Given his experience with the Spanish national team, Lopetegui may stay close to home for his transfer targets. Real Madrid are now just a club with enough money to buy Eden Hazard, but no urgency or special motivation to do so.
More importantly, they are no longer bouncing around Eden Hazard’s thoughts and dreams. Yes, unlike Chelsea, they have Champions League football next year, a proven squad and now a settled managerial situation. But they do not have their main attractor for Hazard. The many downsides of Real Madrid can return to the forefront of the proposed move, and Hazard will return to the wisdom of his commitments to Chelsea over the years.
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Zinedine Zidane’s resignation was one of the few things to make life easier for Chelsea this summer. Julen Lopetegui’s appointment should keep things quiet between the Blues and the Bernabeu.