Eden Hazard Rumours Spark Real Madrid Interest, Latest Asier Illarramendi News

Chelsea’s inability to tie down Eden Hazard to a long-term deal has reportedly alerted Real Madrid to the prospect of signing the Belgian midfielder. According to the Express (h/t Simon Osborn of Metro) contract talks have broken down between the player and the Premier League leaders.

As noted in the piece, apparently the 24-year-old is looking for a deal from Chelsea that would see him earn circa £300,000 a week. Osborn claims that Chelsea’s hesitancy to make Hazard one of the highest-paid players in the division stems from concerns surrounding UEFA’s financial fair play rules.

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Squawka Football outlines one of the reasons why Hazard can command that kind of lucrative salary:

Indeed, Hazard has blossomed into arguably the best player in the Premier League this season. He’s dazzled for Jose Mourinho’s men from the left-hand side, providing a constant stream of assists and goals. The Belgian has been a joy to watch, and the Stamford Bridge faithful will be desperate to keep hold of him.

He’s adding new facets to his game too, including a real tenacity to win the ball back for his team, as noted here by WhoScored.com:

It’d be intriguing to see Hazard link up with Real’s array of attacking talent, and if the club are looking for a potential long-term successor to Cristiano Ronaldo, there are few better candidates than the Chelsea man. But a move to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer wouldn’t be the right switch for the player.

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Under the tutelage of Mourinho, Hazard is adding extra dimensions to his game and is flourishing in an XI that’s set up to accentuate his talents. Swansea City’s Neil Taylor spoke earlier in the season about how crucial the manager’s influence has been in expediting Hazard’s development, per Harry Pratt of the Daily Star:

"

Hazard has developed so much at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho. Mourinho is on his players all the time if they don't perform. Now Hazard is doing it every week.

I'd say he's the best player in the Premier League by a mile. He can go past you like a ghost, either on the outside or by cutting inside. He can shoot or make you foul him.

"

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That’s not to say he wouldn’t develop positive attributes under Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, of course. But at this juncture there’s plenty to suggest this Chelsea team is going to achieve some big things, and Hazard is a player who’ll be at the heart of those successes.

Madrid have a squad which is bursting at the seams with midfield talent anyway, and while he may not be stylistically similar to Hazard, Asier Illarramendi is a player who will surely be considering his options come the end of the season. And according to Spanish newspaper El Confidencial (h/t Jack Wilson of the Daily Star), Liverpool are lining up an £18 million bid for the midfielder in the summer.

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According to the aforementioned piece, the Anfield club will consult their former star Xabi Alonso about the young playmaker. Here’s why Illarramendi has often been compared to the former Reds and Los Blancos man:

After the European champions drafted in Lucas Silva from Cruzeiro in the January window, Illarramendi seems to have drifted even further down the pecking order at the Santiago Bernabeu. For a player who showcased such outstanding quality during his days at Real Sociedad, that is a massive shame.

David Cartlidge of the Mirror suggested it's vital that the player gets a move soon:

With an abundance of talent in front of him in central roles in this Madrid team, Illarramendi simply has to seek a new club in the summer. Liverpool are set to lose Steven Gerrard at the end of the campaign, and although they are different types of midfielders, the 24-year-old would be an ideal acquisition to help fill the void left by the Reds skipper.

When he was inspiring Sociedad to superb wins as a youngster, Illarramendi was revered as one of Spain’s brightest talents. His stock has fallen since his move to the Spanish capital, and subsequently, a transfer elsewhere is surely imperative in the summer if he’s to recapture the sparkling levels he showcased not too long ago.