Roberto Mancini Calls Manchester City the 'Perfect Destination' for Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard's pending summer transfer away from Ligue 1 side Lille is likely to be one of the most hotly contested in recent memory.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have all made eyes at the attacking midfielder.

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is now talking openly of his interest in the player.

Per the Daily Mirror, Mancini told an unnamed French magazine that he's been watching the player for some time:

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I like Hazard a lot. He's a good player. He's young and he would do great things in our team. Given his technical qualities, City would be the perfect destination for him.

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Arsenal fans in particular will remember that Mancini's admiration is most often followed by an irresistibly massive transfer offer.

If City are prepared to wade into the Hazard transfer wars (and Chelsea remain interested), it likely means Arsenal and Tottenham will be priced out of the market for the Belgium international.

If Sheikh Mansour and Roman Abramovich break out their big-boy checkbooks, they could even stretch Manchester United to the limit.

In 39 appearances for Lille this season, Hazard has scored 16 goals and dished out 15 assists. Those numbers mean that everyone's favorite transfer target has been directly involved in exactly 50 percent of Lille's goals this season.

Hazard's club sit third in the Ligue 1 table with five matches left to play. While they're sure to miss their star man next season, Lille are set to be comforted by enough British pounds to make the parting more sweet than sorrowful.