Spanish giant, Real Madrid, have confirmed the signing of Chelsea striker Eden Hazard on a five-year deal, the LaLiga club said in a statement on Friday.
The 28-year-old leaves Europa League winners Chelsea after seven years at Stamford Bridge, with the two clubs agreeing to a fee of 100 million euros for the player.
The Belgian international will be officially presented at the at the Bernabéu on June 13.
Hazard, who has been a prime target of Madrid for quite some time, will come into to strengthen the attacking line of coach Zinedine Zidane, who will have the option of playing the versatile striker in several positions — on the right or left or as a false nine.
During his seven years at Stamford Bridge, Hazard provided 110 goals and 92 assists in 352 games, winning two Premier League titles, two Europa League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup.
“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,” read a statement by Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia on the club’s website.
The Belgian striker becomes the second most expensive signing in Madrid’s history after Gareth Bale, and president Florentino Perez’s first Galactico-level acquisition since 75-million-euro James Rodriguez in 2014.
“We’ve been trying for a number of years to make Hazard a Real Madrid player, but we haven’t achieved it yet,” said Pérez in a radio interview just last week.
“I’d really like Hazard to come to Real Madrid and really hope he does. He is one of the best footballers.”
Now that wish has become a reality for the Madrid president, who is expected to announce a couple of other high-profile signings before the summer is out.
The announcement of Hazard’s signing for the Madrid outfit had been anticipated for several weeks, with the Belgian becoming the club’s fourth acquisition for next season, after Brazilian teenager Rodrygo, Porto defender Eder Militao and Serbian striking sensation Luka Jovic.
Jovic was confirmed as a Madrid player on Tuesday by his former club Eintracht Frankfurt, who stated on Twitter that the Serbian had signed a five-year deal at the Bernabéu.
Anthony Nlebem
