Deal to be done as huge price drop puts West Ham in frame for Real misfit
A report on Sunday suggests West Ham United are leading the race to sign Real Madrid midfielder Eden Hazard who is now available at a knockdown price.
The 30-year-old moved to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2019, with Los Blancos paying Chelsea a reported €100m. And with add-ons, that figure was touted to rise to €146m over the course of his Real career. But things have not gone to plan for the Belgium international with the LaLiga giants.
Injuries and a dip in form have seen him restricted to just 25 league starts in his time at the club. The former Lille ace has started just four top-flight games among 10 appearances in 2021-2022.
And it seems as though his time in the Spanish capital may be up. A number of clubs have been linked with the talented schemer in recent months.
Tottenham and Newcastle United have been mentioned as possible destinations. But now the Hammers have entered the picture while Everton are also thought to be keen.
The link to the East End outfit seems stronger, however, with David Moyes’ side flying high at the moment. The Toffees are a club in crisis, with huge doubts over the future of Rafa Benitez.
The Sunday Mirror, per TBR, are reporting that Hazard has been told he can leave Real in the January transfer window. And the report adds that his price tag has now fallen from £43m to £25.5m.
And that could drop to £21m for any club willing to take him on loan in the new year with a commitment of a summer purchase.
West Ham’s lofty league position means they are now an exciting prospect for potential new stars.
Hazard deal a risk worth taking
The Hammers know all about signing loan players in January and what they can bring. Last season saw Jesse Lingard make a temporary switch to the London Stadium from Manchester United.
His inspired contribution helped the club finish sixth in the standings and earn a Europa League spot. But a move for Hazard would not be without risk.
He has become injury prone while his confidence is not what it was while at Stamford Bridge. There is also the fact he earns a reported £416,000-a-week in Madrid.
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But he knows English football well, having shone for the west Londoners for seven seasons, making 352 appearances and scoring 11 goals. It has been a different story in Spain, with only five goals to his name.
Moyes has been tipped to spend in the upcoming transfer window to improve their chances of a top-four finish. He knows that signing Hazard would be a risk but the benefits may outweigh any potential problems.
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