By Bariyo Brian Tumuramye
Florentino Perez has admitted he has been trying to make the Chelsea superstar a Real Madrid player for ‘several years’. Perez publicly admitted for the first time that Real Madrid want to sign Chelsea’s Eden Hazard this summer. Hazard, 28, has again refused to clarify his future in the build-up to Chelsea’s Europa League final against Arsenal and is entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge. Hazard has yet to reveal where he will be after the Europa League final. Speculation continues to grow that he will join Real Madrid in the this transfer window, with reports as recent as Saturday, suggesting the Blues. Hazard has always dreamt of a move to Real Madrid and idolises manager Zinedine Zidane, but while the manager has remained quiet on the situation, Perez has spoken out about landing the Belgian.
“We have been trying to make Hazard a Real Madrid player for several years,” the Real Madrid president said on Spanish radio station Onda Cero. “We are working on a project to make people dream again, where we recover our hunger and ambition. I have already lived through this stage before. I have a dream that Hazard will arrive this year. Let’s make a good team this year. ‘I am very interested in him coming to Real Madrid and I am very hopeful that he will come this year. He’s one of the great footballers. “Last year we wanted him, but this year he only has one year left on his contract and it is easier.” When Hazard was pressed on where he will be play football next season ahead of Wednesday’s final in Baku, he gave little away. “My last match? I do not think that at all,” he told RMC Sport. “I’m only thinking about winning this match and then what will happen after that will happen. “I have an important week to prepare, with a trophy to play for.”
