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Arsenal already know what Eden Hazard thinks of transfer after 'difficult' admission
Arsenal are reportedly showing an interest in Real Madrid flop Eden Hazard.
Arsenal already know Eden Hazard's feelings on the club amid reports they could pursue a transfer this month. The Belgian has previously revealed his admiration for the Gunners and followed them when he was young.
Hazard will be remembered by Chelsea fans as one of the club's greatest-ever players. He won six major honours with the Blues, making over 350 appearances in all competitions in a seven-year spell between 2012 and 2019.
The winger got his dream move to Real Madrid in 2019 but it has been nothing short of a disaster. Injuries have severely restricted his game time and he has played just 73 times in three-and-a-half seasons, scoring seven goals.
Hazard's contract at the Bernabeu does not expire until the end of next season. But it appears he is likely to leave sooner rather than later.
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And despite his links with London rivals Chelsea, it is reported that Arsenal hold an interest in the 32-year-old. French outlet Media Foot claims the Gunners are considering a move in this window if they fail to land No 1 target Mykhaylo Mudryk.
The report says talks have been held to discover if a January deal is possible. It remains to be seen if the Chelsea legend would consider Arsenal at this point in his career.
But speaking in early 2021, he opened up on his feelings on the north Londoners as a youngster. Hazard revealed he followed Arsenal and their French players, something he found difficult to admit due to his Chelsea connection.
He said: "When I was little, the team I watched the most was the French national team. For me, the players I looked up to were Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry.
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"It's difficult for me to admit because of my relationship with Chelsea - but I really liked the Arsenal team at the time. They had players like Robert Pires, [Sylvain] Wiltord, and [Patrick] Vieira - so it was mainly French players that I followed growing up."
Mudryk remains the priority target for Arsenal. Talks are ongoing with Shakhtar Donetsk over a deal to strengthen the attacking resources available to Mikel Arteta.
However, if a solution cannot be found, Hazard may be a short-term option as the Gunners push for their first Premier League title in 19 years.
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