VILLARREAL, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 12: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid CF looks on prior to the LaLiga Santander match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at Estadio de la Ceramica on February 12, 2022 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Where should Eden Hazard go after leaving Real Madrid?
Eden Hazard has had an injury-plagued time of it since transferring to Real Madrid. (Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Eden Hazard’s career at Real Madrid looks to be nearing a bitter end. The Belgium winger has failed to produce what was expected and had a tough period with the La Liga giants. Eden Hazard has suffered 16 injuries over his three years at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The latest sees him set to miss the Champions League clash against former club Chelsea in April. He’s actually missed more games (66+) for the Spanish club than he’s featured in – 65.
Real Madrid, being the ruthless club they are, wants to sell him in the summer – as per Sport (via Daily Mail). With Kylian Mbappe’s potential arrival further dampening his role, Hazard wouldn’t want to prolong his nightmare any further.
The winger is likely to seek an exit to try and revitalize his career somewhere else. The 31-year-old doesn’t have many years remaining in the tank, especially with injuries weighing him down. Hazard realizes he needs to choose the right club and ideal project to suit him and give him the chance for one last hurrah.
Could Hazard returns to Chelsea?
Eden Hazard had a very emotional departure from Chelsea in 2019. He spent seven years at the club, winning many trophies and recording some excellent numbers – including 110 goals and 92 assists in 352 appearances. But, he went on to fulfill his “dream” of joining Real Madrid for over £100m.
Hazard’s plan didn’t prove to be successful in Spain. There are still many within Chelsea who really adore him. According to Marca (via SI), the Belgian winger would be keen on moving back to Stamford Bridge next season.
A lot of Chelsea fans would love that as they’d want Eden Hazard’s “last dance” to be with them. Thomas Tuchel himself has many wingers at his disposal right now, but nobody has proven themselves as consistent performers this season.
He could be tempted to make a smart move to bring Hazard back. Joining a packed squad with many options would mean he wouldn’t be put under extreme physical pressure. He knows exactly how to excel in England and can bring that added spark to revitalize Chelsea’s attack next season.
A move to Italy?
Despite his recent injury woes, Eden Hazard still has a lot of admirers among top European clubs because of his past history. According to AS (h/t Sempremilan), AC Milan are eyeing a potential summer move for the 31-year-old winger.
Now, this could be a completely different journey for Hazard. He’s never played in a tactical, defensive-oriented league like Serie A – despite playing in defensive systems at Chelsea. But it could actually be an intriguing prospect for him.
Milan are on the ascendency and vying for the title this season. But, they need quality, experienced players capable of delivering in the big games and the Champions League. Hazard has all the tools they need.
The 31-year-old’s quality still can’t be questioned. Eden Hazard’s brilliant dribbling skills, close control, ability to move past defenders and create moments of magic are still there. He can still produce goals in clutch moments.
Milan has a pretty healthy squad, too, so they can play Hazard at a rate that suits him. The 31-year-old can have fun tormenting Serie A defenders and bring his winning mentality to help Milan keep challenging for the league title and perform better in Champions League.
Potential return to Belgium?
A few years ago, when asked about whether he’d be interested in a move to the MLS, Hazard bluntly dismissed it. He told HLN (via ChelseaFCOnline) that he would be interested in ending his career in his home country of Belgium.
While he did state that was “difficult to envision” for him in 2019, it isn’t exactly impossible anymore. Hazard probably only has a few more years in his career because of the persistent injuries. He could aim to end it in the country which made him the superstar he is today.
A number of Belgium’s clubs could be vying for his signing. Hazard could opt to join Club Brugge because they regularly play in the Champions League and also for the Belgium First Division title.
There wouldn’t be too much pressure or that many eyes scrutinizing him in Belgium. Hazard can probably thrive from that, playing under reduced pressure and trying to get back to his best for one final push in his career.
If he’s able to help Brugge move into the Champions League knockout rounds regularly for a few years and win the league titles, the expectations on him should be fulfilled. Hazard can just opt to enjoy himself in Belgium, deliver a lot of goals and just have fun for some years before thinking about retirement.
