Chelsea coach Joe Cole believes that Eden Hazard will resist the advances of Real Madrid this summer. The Belgian’s current contract at Stamford Bridge is due to expire at the end of next season and he has yet to put pen to paper on a new deal. This essentially means that if the Belgian does not agree to a new deal to keep him at Stamford Bridge soon, the Blues will have to sell him this summer or they could risk losing one of the world’s premier players for a bargain fee next summer.
Los Blancos have had a miserable season by their standards. They have not been much of a threat to Barcelona in the La Liga and suffered humiliation in the Champions League as they were eliminated by Ajax Amsterdam during the last-16 stage.
Madrid are likely to spend heavily this summer and offload long-serving players as they look to rebuild themselves as giants of Spanish and European football. They have long been linked with the signature of Hazard who they reportedly view as a direct replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo who joined Juventus last summer.
If Hazard does indeed leave this summer, it will be a huge blow for Chelsea especially when you consider that they have been slapped with a two-window transfer ban after having been found guilty of infringements by FIFA in terms of signing young players.
“I don’t want to think about [Hazard leaving]” Cole said as quoted by The Express.
“I think after today’s performance [against Liverpool], he was brilliant, the way he brings players involved in the game, the chances he had, he was unlucky today.
“But yeah I think they have to keep him, I think it’s a must.
“I don’t see why he would want to leave to be honest.
“I think the club loves him, he loves the club but whether it’s to Real Madrid, the club that he loves, with the manager he loves in Zidane.
“So yeah it’s going to be difficult to keep him but for me I hope he stays and I think he will stay to be honest.”
