Chelsea can keep Eden Hazard, but they must start moving
By Travis Tyler
Eden Hazard has been linked to Real Madrid since the day he joined Chelsea. The Blues have the chance to keep him, if they start to act soon.
Eden Hazard joined Chelsea with a tweet years ago. He was courted by pretty much every big club in the world, but he chose the Champions League winners. The years since have often been uneven with years of immense success and years of terrible drought. But Hazard has stuck with the club despite constant rumors of wanting a new, bigger challenge.
That is why many Chelsea fans held their breath when Zinedine Zidane was Real Madrid’s manager. Zidane was Hazard’s idol growing up and playing under him, at one of the world’s biggest clubs, could have been an opportunity to big to pass up. But Hazard stuck with Chelsea, though he made it clear that the club would have to match his ambition.
When Zidane left Real Madrid, the club lost its biggest bargaining chip. They also lost Hazard’s biggest advocate. There were rumors that Zidane quit because the club did not want to fulfill his wish and purchase Hazard. But Real Madrid does have a pull, and it is reported that if Cristiano Ronaldo departs for Juventus, Hazard could be on the short list to replace him.
Hazard, for his part, still hypes up the appeal of Real Madrid while stating that he is ok to stay at Chelsea. But the clock is ticking to prove to Hazard that the club can reach his level.
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Hazard has two years remaining on his contract. Though there have been rumors of an extension floating around since at least January, nothing has come of it. In the meantime, the board closed the pocket book to Antonio Conte and the club failed to qualify for the Champions League. Furthermore, the managerial situation is a mess and no new bodies have come to Chelsea.
Hazard will not sign a contract unless the club can prove they want more than this current state of madness. So the deadline to prove the club is ambitious with the best is next summer. That leaves roughly a month in this transfer window and the January window to make a splash. In the meantime, whoever is manager will have to get the squad playing at a challenging level in the league.
If the club fails to do so, then the Blues will be stuck in the same situation as they are currently with Thibaut Courtois. He is on the last year of his contract (which he will not extend) and the only way Chelsea can profit off of his transfer is if he is sold right now. That is not a situation that the Blues want to find themselves in.
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But, Chelsea has the chance and the capabilities to prove themselves to Hazard. Solving the managerial situation quickly while strengthening the squad with signings will go a long way towards keeping Hazard at the club. He wants to stay at Chelsea, but he wants to stay at a winning Chelsea. The Blues must offer him the opportunity to do so.