DERBY, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates his goal during the Capital One Cup Quarter-Final match between Derby County and Chelsea at Pride Park Stadium on December 16, 2014 in Derby, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

UK Back Pages: Hazard Nears Lucrative Deal, Liverpool Plot Gerrard Successor

Sean SwabyDec 18, 2014

Eden Hazard is on the verge of being an even richer man than he already is, as reports are surfacing that the Chelsea playmaker is close to signing a new contract worth a staggering £52 million.

That is, if you believe a report in The Sun.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are plotting who will succeed Steven Gerrard in the centre of the park, and Mario Balotelli is taking responsibility for his one-game ban for a controversial Instagram post.

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The Sun report on the Belgian superstar's Chelsea deal that will be for an additional five years.

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Friday's Sun back page: "£52m Eden project" #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/GHFpZdPOwy
— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) December 18, 2014"

Mirror Sport report the rumour that the Reds are going after Aston Villa's Fabian Delph to succeed the ageing Gerrard.

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Friday's Daily Mirror back page: "Delph's our new Gerrard" #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/xeJcRe0gU1
— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) December 18, 2014"

Star Sport report on a contrite Balotelli and also that Simon Mignolet has been warned that his Liverpool career is in serious jeopardy due to his middling form for the club.

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Friday's Daily Star back page: "I've learnt my lesson" #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/ScH8epofwQ
— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) December 18, 2014"