Eden Hazard Announces He Will Transfer to Chelsea

Eden Hazard will wear the blue shirt of Chelsea next season.

The Lille starlet announced in rather cryptic fashion via Twitter on Monday that he would sign for the reigning UEFA Champions League winners:

"

I'm signing for the champion's league winner.

— Eden hazard (@hazardeden10) May 28, 2012"

Hazard had been expected to choose between Chelsea, Manchester United and English Premier League champions Manchester City by early June.

According to ESPN Soccernet, the 21-year-old Belgium international took the Blues into greater consideration after their surprising success in Europe against Bayern Munich, telling Canal+ about joining the Blues:

"

That's possible. But until I pen to paper I won't say where I'm going.

Of course it makes you think as Chelsea have won the Champions League. They're a big team and will be playing in the Champions League next season. They have great players and I always said I wanted to be playing. I think there is the possibility to play as well.

"

Chelsea had been on the brink of collapse in March, when first-year manager Andre Villas-Boas was sacked. At the time, the Blues were languishing in the middle of the Premiership table and on the brink of elimination from the Champions League.

But the installation of former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo as caretaker manager—and the return to the "Old Guard" of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba that it precipitated—breathed new life into the Blues. They went on to score a miraculous comeback in the return leg against Napoli that propelled them to continental glory, all the while romping their way through the FA Cup.

Those successes helped to cover up the disappointment of a sixth-place finish in the Premiership, at least enough to score Hazard's signature ahead of the Mancunian candidates.

The Belgian wunderkind led Lille in goal scoring (22) and assists (25) across all competitions this season while leading the Mastiffs to a third-place finish in France's Ligue 1. Both were easily career highs for the attacking player, who has drawn favorable comparisons to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for his pace, technical ability and creativity toward the front.

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