Eden Hazard is PSG's number one target

Paris Saint Germain are ready to rock Chelsea with a £50million bid for Eden Hazard this summer.

The moneybags, Qatari-owned club are understood to have made the PFA Young Player of the Year - Chelsea’s 17-goal top scorer this season - their “number one target”.

Although they do not have permission to talk to the Belgian star, it is understood sources close to the player have been made aware of the French champions’ interest.

PSG are also keen on defender David Luiz, a player that Chelsea are ready to cash in on at the right price, as they strengthen their squad ahead of next season’s Champions League.

Hazard’s future is understood to have been uncertain after he fell out with Blues boss Jose Mourinho in the wake of Chelsea’s Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

The former Lille winger appeared to question Mourinho’s tactics saying: “Chelsea are not made to play football.

“We are good on the counter-attack, a bit like Real against Bayern Munich. Often, I’m asked to do it all by myself and it’s not easy.”

Mourinho responded by claiming Hazard did not sacrifice himself enough for the team - a public observation that increased speculation that the pair had fallen out.

Hazard, however, has since been far more conciliatory, telling Chelsea magazine: “I prefer it when we speak like this, rather than saying things like: “He’s the best and he doesn’t need to work”.

“I try to play like I did when I was a young boy playing in my garden. I know maybe I have to do better in training or on the pitch.

“I want to score more and help the team score more goals and next season I hope we can be better. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not so good but I try to always make sure I give my best to help the team, even if I am not having the best game myself.”

Despite the humility in his words, however, the interest of PSG is now set to throw doubt over the future of Hazard at Chelsea.

Read More»

Hazard questions Jose Mourinho tactics

Eden Hazard has appeared to question Jose Mourinho's tactics after Chelsea went out of the Champions League to Atletico Madrid.

The Blues were criticised for defensive methods employed in the semi-final first leg in Madrid and in the Premier League win at Liverpool before tumbling out of Europe after a 3-1 home loss at Stamford Bridge.

"Chelsea aren't set up to play football," Belgian Hazard told beIN SPORTS' French station.


Michael Ballack and Jamie Carragher believe that Chelsea lacked creativity
"Chelsea are set up to counter-attack - a little bit like Real against Bayern.

'I don't know what we lacked. After scoring, we had the game in our hands. Maybe they wanted it more than we did."

"Think of the attacking talent at Chelsea. But they've scored two goals in six Champions League semi-finals."

Carragher was also critical of Mourinho's substitutions after the Portuguese brought on Samuel Eto'o early in the second half with Chelsea looking for a goal to take them through. Instead the veteran striker conceded a crucial penalty which Diego Costa converted.

"I just thought it was a little bit early to go two up front," said Carragher. "It had been a tight game but as soon as they went two up front it started to open up.

"I just thought it was a little bit early and that Mourinho had patience in these big games. They only needed one goal and it was important not to concede another."

Fellow pundit Gary Neville added. "He's usually the king. He's renowned for waiting.

"I thought Chelsea would wait, probably until 10 minutes to go with five minutes of extra time there. Be at 1-1 and then think that in that little period they could build some pressure, keep the crowd up into the last part of the game. It was taken away from them in that 15 minute period after the substitution."

Unless there is a twist in the Premier League title race, Mourinho is poised to finish without a trophy for a second successive season.

Assessing his first campaign back at Stamford Bridge ahead of the closing Premier League matches, Mourinho said he clung to a dream which disappeared.

"We are realistic, but at the same time we are optimistic," he said.

"When things go in a certain direction, there is a moment where you dream and you think that things are possible, even if things are not.

"And because we did well in the Champions League and in the Premier League, there was a moment where we felt we could do it.

"In the Premier League it was the match against Aston Villa that made me believe that we had no chance to be champions.

"In the Champions League, it's the same. We knew that teams had more potential than us and were more ready than us to win the competition, but because you go step by step and beat Paris St Germain after a 3-1 defeat, you build your dream.

"And today, I think it was proved that we had our chances. Until minute 61 we were completely in the game. And 2-1 for Chelsea, or 2-1 for Atletico.

"That moment was crucial and, from that moment, the game was over. In one minute, two actions decided the game.

"Atletico's goalkeeper (Thibaut Courtois - on loan from Chelsea) makes an impossible save from John Terry's header and instead of 2-1 to Chelsea, a few seconds later a penalty. The save is amazing and the penalty is a penalty.

"After that, there was only one team on the pitch. We had immediately the feeling the game was lost."

Read More»

Hazard: ‘I will definitely join PSG next summer’

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has reportedly revealed that he is to leave Chelsea next summer and join up with PSG in what will be a sensational return to Ligue 1.

The young Belgian has been linked with a move to the mega-bucks French champions for a few weeks now, and now according to the sources of French newspaper ‘Le Parisien’, Hazard has told one of his Chelsea teammates the news of his impending departure.

The French report quotes Hazard as telling an unnamed colleague, “I will definitely join Paris next summer”.

PSG are looking to bring in further attacking options in the midfield, and are reportedly also interested in Hazard’s teammate Juan Mata.

The French champions are said to want a ‘third striker’ to sit behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani in a more creative role, and Hazard would fit the bill.

But ‘Le Parisien’ admit that Hazard is still content in West London, and that PSG are still far from agreeing a deal.

Soccerlens had dismissed rumours of Hazard leaving in yesterday’s ‘Transfer Lens’, as Chelsea would surely not be willing to part with their best attacking outlet, and one of Mourinho’s favored few at Stamford Bridge.

With very little to go on, this report must be taken with a pinch of salt for now. Hazard seems happy in West London, despite the ‘quote’, and as we mentioned yesterday, why would Chelsea sell their star player?

What do you think? Is there any truth to these rumours? Let US know in the comments below…

Read More»