"What I can say about Eden is that he rejected a contract extension to give himself the chance to follow up on the interest in him from Real Madrid, where he can see himself playing," Thierry Hazard told 'Le Soir'. Words that have raised alarm bells in the Spanish capital hours before the transfer window is due to open.
'MARCA's' cover displayed the Chelsea star with a loudspeaker and a charged message aimed at the Premier League outfit: "Hazard lo pide a gritos" (Hazard is begging to leave). It seems the playmaker is one step closer to fulfilling his lifelong dream of playing under Zinedine Zidane.
On the other hand, 'AS' went for a photo of the Belgian alongside the headline: "Hazard espera al Madrid" (Hazard awaits Real Madrid). According to said source, his mind is made up, and he will not extend his stay in west London.
The words spoken by Eden's father Thierry have boosted Real's hopes of bringing in a long-term target. A world-class footballer who would easily fit into the front line of Zidane team, with the 'Blancos' undergoing their hardest spell since the Frenchman took the reins at the Santiago Bernabeu.
His arrival could see players such as Isco affected, after the Spaniard fought tooth and nail for a place in the starting lineup. Gareth Bale could also suffer the brunt of Hazard's signing, a move which is looking increasingly likely after his father's provocative statements.