17 June 2023 , 18:42
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Eden Hazard's underwhelming time at Real Madrid is over and he's considering a shock move back to Belgium.
The playmaker will go down as one of the most disappointing Los Blancos signings of the modern era having moved from Chelsea for an initial £88.5m in 2019. Hazard scored just seven times in 76 outings for the Spanish giants with injury and a lack of form plaguing his time at the Bernabeu with his contract terminated a year early.
Attention has now turned to his next move with the former PFA Player of the Year not short of options. Hazard has been linked with a lucrative switch to Saudi Arabia, according to reports, but could yet turn them down and head home to team up with Belgian Pro League minnows Racing White Daring de Molenbeek.
L'Equipe report that the Belgian is keen to play alongside one of his younger brothers, Kylian, and a switch back to his homeland would open the door. RWDM secured promotion to the Belgium's top flight last season - Kylian scoring six times during the campaign.
MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps are also looking to bring Hazard to North America, but the 32-year-old is eyeing a surprise move. Hazard's first club in Belgium was Royal Stade Brainois, but by the time he was 14 he found himself in the Lille academy, where he would go on to make his name.
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The Belgian is out to rebuild his career following his stint in Spain. Whilst at Chelsea Hazard won domestic and European honours, as well as claiming several individual accolades. He was in career best form when he opted to join Real with his contract at Stamford Bridge winding down.
The Belgian is considering a return to his homeland (Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)Hazard has not left Madrid with a good reputation however and team-mate Toni Kroos appeared to take a swipe when he was quizzed on the mammoth fee paid to acquire Jude Bellingham recently - insisting not all big money deals work out as planned.
The German told his podcast: “€103m transfer fee? We now also had someone who came for a lot of money and virtually let his career rest. A lot of money and I think everyone would say in retrospect: That was not such a good transfer. But now let's start from the positive.”
Late last year Hazard publicly apologised to the Madrid faithful for being unable to produce his best. "Madrid fans, I'm sorry. It's not easy, I don't play, I want to play more. I'm really sorry for what happened," he said. "At Chelsea, I played hundreds of games, without injuries. At Madrid, I've all of these injuries. It’s something I can’t explain".