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Chelsea transfer news: Real Madrid prepare bold Kylian Mbappe plan for Eden Hazard
REAL MADRID are prepared to pay the second-highest transfer fee of all time to land Eden Hazard this summer.
Eden Hazard will leave Chelsea for Madrid predicts Gus Poyet
That’s the report of the Mirror with Hazard said to be the Spanish heavyweight’s first-choice target.
Real Madrid are looking to recruit a top-class new forward following Cristiano Ronaldo’s £88million move to Juventus earlier this month.
And Los Blancos are thought to have identified Hazard as their No 1 target to replace the 40-goal-a-season attacker.
Real Madrid have also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, although they have publicly denied making approaches for either of the pair and those deals are far less attainable this year.
But a move for Chelsea star Hazard is far more achievable - even though the Mirror claim the Blues would not sell the 27-year-old for as much as £170m.
That is unlikely to put off Madrid, who it is claimed are willing to pay a fee higher than that which PSG paid for Mbappe - £166m - to make his loan move from Monaco permanent.
The French club also completed a mammoth deal for Neymar, paying £198m to sign the Brazilian ace from Barcelona 12 months ago.
The Mirror claim that Chelsea are insistent they will not sell Belgian international Hazard, who starred at the World Cup to inspire the Red Devils to a third-placed finish at the expense of England.
But Hazard himself has hinted at a desire to test himself in the Spanish capital despite Chelsea being ready to table a new £300,000-a-week contract.
He said: “After six wonderful years at Chelsea it might be time to discover something different.
“I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will make the final decision if they want to let me go.
“For my career, certainly after this World Cup, I’m at a moment where I might change. You all know my preferred destination.”
Hazard’s favoured destination is believed to be Madrid, having declared how “special” the European champions are at the start of July and saying: “They are a club who make you dream.”
It is thought that the west London club will look to sit down with the player and his representatives upon his return to pre-season training in a couple of weeks after he finishes his post-World Cup break.