It’s Official: Eden Hazard Leaves Chelsea For Real Madrid In Move Worth Up To £130m
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Real Madrid have signed Eden Hazard from Chelsea for a fee worth up to £130 million. Madrid are understood to have struck a deal with Chelsea that could rise to a club-record transfer once all bonus payments come into play.
That would make Hazard’s transfer the most expensive ever involving an English club, eclipsing the £106.4 million Barcelona paid to capture Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in 2018.
The 28-year-old, who will double his wages to £400,000 a week with his five-year deal, will be officially unveiled on June 13, once he has undergone his medical.
Shortly after the move was confirmed, Hazard took to social media to post a heartfelt 700-word goodbye to Chelsea supporters and explaining leaving the club had been the “biggest and toughest decision in my career to date.”
He wrote: “You now know that I will be joining Real Madrid. It’s no secret that it was my dream to play for them since I was a young boy just scoring my first goal. I have tried my very best not to distract myself or the team through this difficult period of speculation and media attention, especially the last 6 months.
👉 #WelcomeHazard pic.twitter.com/6CvH9LHXSy
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 7, 2019
“Now the Clubs have reached an agreement I hope you understand I had to pursue my next chapter, just as each and every one of you should when you have the chance to pursue your dreams.
He added: “Now it’s in the open I would like to put on record one thing was always clear to me, I have loved every moment at Chelsea and not once did I ever consider, nor would I have left for any other Club.”
Hazard becomes Madrid’s second major signing after Frankfurt’s Luka Jovic, in a summer of rebuilding in Zinedine Zidane’s second stint as manager at the Bernabeu.
Chelsea will view the outcome of lengthy negotiations with Madrid as a success, as Real had been reluctant to pay more than £88million.
TRANSFER: Real Madrid confirm deal to sign Chelsea star Eden Hazard on a five-year deal. ✍️ #UCL pic.twitter.com/mM0JvGmWP6
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) June 7, 2019
Hazard joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012 and went on to win two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup – and two Europa League crowns.
Chelsea moved to pay tribute to Hazard on confirming his departure, with his Blues career ending on 352 appearances and 110 goals.
“Although it is with sadness we say goodbye to Eden – and we made it absolutely clear to him the club wished him to stay – we respect the decision he has made to take on a new challenge in a different country and follow his childhood dream of playing for Real Madrid,” club director Marina Granovskaia said.
“The memories he leaves us with will not fade. He provided all who watched Chelsea play with great entertainment and many match-winning contributions, and for that we thank Eden enormously.
“He has been a model professional throughout his time at the club, a wonderful individual to have around and a joy to work with. We look forward to welcoming him back in the future.”
