Why Eden Hazard could be staying at Chelsea this summer
Blues defender Andreas Chistensen says players have been told there will be no departures from Stamford Bridge this summer, despite Real Madrid's interest in Hazard
Andreas Christensen has cast doubt on Eden Hazard’s future after revealing that Chelsea’s players have been told they will be unable to leave the club this summer if their transfer ban is upheld.
Hazard has been strongly linked with Real Madrid throughout this season, with Zinedine Zidane’s recent reappointment at the Santiago Bernabeu making the move appear more likely.
However, Christensen’s revelation, which came after Chelsea confirmed they have launched an appeal against the two-window transfer ban which was handed to them following a FIFA investigation into the club’s signing of foreign players under the age of 18, represents another twist in the saga.
“The messages we’ve got are that Chelsea want to keep all the players due to this case,” the Danish defender told Ekstra Bladet. “The situation I have ended up in has been very difficult to accept.”
Having made only three Premier League starts under Maurizio Sarri this term, Christensen had been hoping to depart for pastures new this summer.
But while many Blues fans will want to keep hold of the centre-back, his admission is most significant in regards to Hazard’s future.
Chelsea take on Cardiff this weekend as they look to close the three-point gap separating them from Arsenal in fourth.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
FUNNYHow I ended up speaking to James Richardson on African TV by mistake
Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).
‘Maybe I’ll be signed by Wrexham, who knows? English football would suit me – if an offer came, I wouldn’t think twice, I’d go immediately’ Euro 2024 cult hero reveals his UK dream
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023