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Report: Eden Hazard, Ferland Mendy Real Madrid Transfers to Be Set Within 2 Days

Gill Clark@@gillclarkyFeatured Columnist IIJune 4, 2019

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - MAY 29: Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the UEFA Europa League Final between Chelsea and Arsenal at Baku Olimpiya Stadionu on May 29, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Real Madrid reportedly aim to follow up the signing of striker Luka Jovic by bringing in Eden Hazard and Ferland Mendy in the next 48 hours, and will then try to ship a number of players out.

According to Jose Felix Diaz at Marca, deals to bring both Chelsea talisman Hazard and Lyon left-back Mendy to the Santiago Bernabeu are "on the verge of completion."

The signing of the new players will cause a "shake-up in Zinedine Zidane's squad," and the club hope the new arrivals will "put pressure" on some players to look for a new club, per the report.

Hazard has already said he expects to leave Chelsea after scoring twice to help the club win the 2019 UEFA Europa League final:

B/R Football @brfootball

Eden Hazard after winning the Europa League: "I think this is goodbye" https://t.co/8ZgTeN6cHk

The 28-year-old is currently on international duty with Belgium, but talks between Chelsea and Real Madrid are ongoing, according to journalist Kristof Terreur:

Kristof Terreur 📰🎥 @HLNinEngeland

Eden Hazard arriving at the Belgium national team this afternoon. At the moment he is still a Blue - talks between clubs are going on: Real CEO Jose Angel Sánchez flew to London yesterday. 🛫 #cfc #halamadrid 📸 Photonews https://t.co/rPtjo266OQ

Belgium team-mate Kevin de Bruyne expects Hazard to make the move to Spain but said it may take time to seal the deal, per Terreur:

Kristof Terreur 📰🎥 @HLNinEngeland

Kevin De Bruyne tells @vtmnieuws that it’s now or never for Eden Hazard to join Real: “I think the move will take place, but not in 1,2,3 days. I had to wait for 3 months when I joined City.” He added that he’s staying at City - never in doubt, except for Danny Murphy. #mcfc https://t.co/0m5vJkDkfY

Hazard is coming off a superb season for the Blues where he played a key role in the team finishing third in the Premier League and winning the Europa League.

The Belgian racked up 21 goals and 17 assists in all competitions, but after winning the Premier League title, FA Cup and League Cup during his time in England, has spoken of the need for a new challenge:

Sky Sports News @SkySportsNews

"My dream was to play in the Premier League and I did this for seven years for one of the biggest clubs in the world. Maybe it's time for a new challenge." Eden Hazard says goodbye to @ChelseaFC with two goals in @EuropaLeague final win over @Arsenal.

Hazard's arrival will certainly enliven a Real Madrid attack that toiled last season in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus.

Yet ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan feels they may need to sell before making another investment:

Dermot Corrigan @dermotmcorrigan

Madrid have already now spent over €160m this summer - on Rodrygo, Militao & Jovic. Good chance that under both La Liga and UEFA financial rules they have to sell [Bale or James] before signing [Hazard or Pogba].

Meanwhile, Mendy is expected to cost Los Blancos €50 million (£44 million), according to L'Equipe:

Get French Football News @GFFN

Ferland Mendy undergoing Real Madrid medical at Clairefontaine - deal set to close for €50m from Lyon - full story https://t.co/FfB2YveJfJ

The left-back will be expected to rival 31-year-old Marcelo for the left-back spot and, like the Brazilian, he loves to attack:

WhoScored.com @WhoScored

Ferland Mendy: Only Youcef Atal (101) completed more dribbles than @ferland_mendy (55) of defenders in Ligue 1 last season For more player stats -- https://t.co/7Rz4aN1P1H https://t.co/tkSDlngte9

However, Lyon have denied a deal has already been agreed for the defender to join Real Madrid:

Get French Football News @GFFN

Breaking | Lyon deny an agreement with Real Madrid for the sale of Ferland Mendy in an official press release.

Real Madrid have already brought in striker Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt and defender Eder Militao from Porto as they begin their summer overhaul.

More new faces look certain to arrive as Zidane aims to build a squad capable of ending Barcelona's domestic dominance and rivalling Europe's best.