Eden Hazard Agrees to Transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid Through 2024

Eden Hazard's time at Chelsea has come to an end, as Real Madrid agreed to a deal with the Blues to pry the superstar winger away from Stamford Bridge.

The Blues confirmed his exit on Friday:

He'll sign with the Galacticos until 2024:

Hazard, 28, had another excellent season for Chelsea, scoring 16 goals and adding 15 assists in 37 Premier League appearances (32 starts). He also bagged a brace in the UEFA Europa League final win over Arsenal.

His 7.81 average match rating from WhoScored.com tied for first in the EPL this season, topping Manchester City's Raheem Sterling (7.61) and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (7.57). On the list of world-class attackers, Hazard is high.

It was Hazard's fifth EPL campaign with at least 12 goals, and his fourth with seven or more assists.

Hazard combines solid pace with pinpoint ball control out wide. He can easily break down defenders with his dribbling, and he is nearly impossible to bully off of the ball, as he uses a strong base and excellent balance to shield off defenders. 

An aggressive attacker, Hazard can both set up chances for his team-mates and beat a keeper from range. Though he isn't always the most willing defender, he is one of the brightest forwards in the game. 

For Los Blancos, Hazard can't truly replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who left for Juventus a year ago, but it's hard to imagine Real Madrid would find a much better option this summer after failing to adequately replace CR7's impact last season.

Hazard's addition could be the first of several if Real Madrid choose to revamp their attack, with only Karim Benzema (21 goals, six assists) representing a true threat in the 2018-19 La Liga campaign.

A front three of Hazard, Benzema and Gareth Bale would cause nightmares for opposing back lines if it's kept intact, though Bale's future with Los Blancos remains up in the air. But after thriving at Chelsea, the expectation will be that Hazard will remain world class in Madrid.