LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City looks on during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Hull City at The King Power Stadium on March 4, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
Eden Hazard has admitted he would consider an approach from Real Madrid and that he is yet to begin negotiations with Chelsea about extending his contract at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgium international still has three years to run on his £200,000-a-week contract at the Premier League champions but has been a longstanding target for Real, who won a third Champions League title in four seasons on Saturday night with victory over Juventus in Cardiff. Five years to the day since Hazard confirmed he would be signing for the Champion’s League winner, the forward, who is preparing for Belgium’s friendly against Czech Republic on Monday night and a World Cup qualifier against Estonia next week, hinted for the first time that he could be prepared to leave Chelsea.
“Of course I would consider it if Madrid made an offer,” Hazard said. “I am keen to win trophies. It would be great to win the Champions League. But Chelsea’s goal is to win the Champions League as well. Honestly I do not know what will happen.
“I only know that I still have a contract with Chelsea for three seasons and that we just had an amazing 2016-17 campaign. We want to continue on this path and want to build on this in the Champions League.
“I am feeling very well at Chelsea. But you never know what will happen. I have not met with the board yet to discuss a new deal. I have two games with Belgium coming up first and I am off on my holiday after that. I want to think about football as little as possible.”
Meanwhile, Algeria international Riyad Mahrez has made it clear to the Foxes that he wishes to leave the club this summer. His destination is strongly believed to be Arsenal but Arsene Wenger, an admirer of Mahrez would need to fight off Liverpool and Manchester United.
There is an acceptance at the King Power Stadium that the 2016 PFA Player of the Year will depart, with attention turning to finding an adequate replacement.
Following a difficult season for Swansea it’s been expected that Sigurdsson will move on. Leicester have identified the Iceland international as a suitable recruit and according to The Sun the club are ready to meet Swansea’s £30million valuation, which should trigger a deal.
Mahrez on wanting to leave said:
‘I had a good discussion with the chairman last summer and we agreed at that time that I would stay for another year in order to help the club as best as I could following the transition of winning the title and in the Champions League.
‘However, I am fiercely ambitious and feel that now is the time to move on to a new experience.
‘I’ve always enjoyed a good relationship with the chairman and everyone at the club, and I hope I have been able to repay the faith shown to me by my performances and commitment on the pitch during my time here.
‘I’ve had the four best seasons of my career at Leicester and have loved every moment. I feel immense pride to have been a part of what we have achieved during my time at the club.’
