Chelsea to swap Eden Hazard for Alvaro Morata
Sports
By
Mirror
| Jun 30, 2016
European champions Real are ready to offer cash plus £40m-rated striker Alvaro Morata to land the 25-year-old Belgium superstar.
The Spanish giants are also aware that Chelsea are keen on another of their players, Colombia star James Rodriguez.
Their manager Zinedine Zidane is a massive admirer of Hazard, and the winger is as big a fan of the legendary French midfielder.
Chelsea want to keep Hazard despite a poor season, in which the form that had made him Footballer of the Year 11 months ago almost totally disappeared.
The Stamford Bridge top brass believe he could yet recapture those heights under new boss Antonio Conte, who will join after Italy's involvement in Euro 2016 ends.
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But a huge offer, in addition to the chance to sign one of their major summer targets in Morata, could convince them to sell.
Chelsea have already agreed a £33m fee with Marseille for another striker, Hazard's Belgium teammate Michy Batshuayi, who is keen to play for Conte.
After his poor, injury-ravaged campaign, Hazard exploded back into life in last weekend's Euros last-16 win over Hungary, scoring one fine goal and setting up another.
Morata remains a target for Chelsea after Real exercised a buyback option to re-sign him from Italian champions Juventus for £23m.
After an impressive season in Italy, helping the club to win the Serie A title, Morata scored twice during Spain’s Euro2016 campaign in France.
Had Juve sold him to any other club, they would have enjoyed a healthy profit on the marksman. Instead, that will go to Real if they cash in.
Morata - who has been on international duty at the Euros - has warned, meanwhile, that he does not want to return to the Bernabeu to sit on the bench.
Chelsea are being rivalled by Manchester City and French champions Paris Saint-Germain in pursuit of 24-year-old Rodriguez.
The attacking midfielder is out of favour in Madrid, two years after signing from Monaco for a massive £65m.