Chelsea Transfer News: Eden Hazard Mega Contract Set to End Real Madrid Rumours

Chelsea will make Eden Hazard their highest-paid player to keep the mercurial Belgian winger out of the clutches of Real Madrid. Matt Law of The Telegraph suggests the Premier League-leading Blues will pay Hazard £200,000 per week:

"

Eden Hazard is poised to give Chelsea the best possible Christmas present by agreeing the final details of his new contract. A new £200,000-a-week five-year contract has been on the table for three months and talks have been stepped up this week over signing off the small print.

...

Chelsea were frustrated by repeated stories in France linking Hazard to PSG around the time the two clubs met in the competition last season.

"

But it's not Chelsea's UEFA Champions League last-16 opponents who represent the biggest threat to tempting Hazard away from Stamford Bridge. That undoubtedly comes from 10-time European Cup winners Madrid.

One of Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho's former clubs, Los Blancos have the financial power and prestige to swing any deal. In order to sign one-time Lille sensation Hazard, Los Merengues were reportedly prepared to part ways with world-record signing Gareth Bale.

That's according to Daily Star reporter Rhys Turrell, who suggested selling Bale would fund any Hazard deal. However, this seems like a rather fanciful scenario.

For one thing, Bale represents a considerable investment, one the Madrid hierarchy are unlikely to give up on so easily. The lightning-fast Wales international is also a key part of Madrid's breathlessly quick and fluid forward line. In particular, Bale forms a deadly double act with Cristiano Ronaldo, whose power and athletic dynamism Bale most closely mirrors.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

From a Chelsea perspective, Hazard represents the match-winning maestro who adds a flourish to Mourinho's efficient and pragmatic team. Hazard has become the player who will turn tight games Chelsea's way via an injection of pace, or a moment of elaborate trickery.

Mourinho praised Hazard's match-winning qualities, following Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Arsenal back in early October, per Daily Express writer Anthony Chapman: "In these matches you need one of your top players to take some magic cards out of his pocket. Hazard did it when it was 0-0."

Ben Radford/Getty Images

In this way, Hazard is now what Arjen Robben was for Mourinho's first and great Chelsea teams between 2004-07. With his current vintage competing at the top end of three competitions, Mourinho is wise to secure the future of Chelsea's brightest young star.

Hazard combining with the creative and technical artistry of Cesc Fabregas, along with the power and predatory instincts of Diego Costa, gives Chelsea an attack to rival the very best in Europe.

Mourinho and the club should do all they can to keep a key member of that trio in England.