Eden Hazard dismisses rumours of Chelsea return

Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard has insisted there is no truth to rumours he hopes to return to Chelsea this summer.

Hazard swapped Stamford Bridge for the Santiago Bernabeu in 2019 in a deal which could rise up to £150m, but things could have hardly gone worse for the Belgian, with constant injuries and poor form limiting him to just five goals and eight assists in 43 appearances for Los Blancos.

With life at Real going poorly and the club already planning to threaten his position by signing PSG's Kylian Mbappe, a handful of reports emerged suggesting Hazard was ready to leave Spain this summer and favoured a return to Chelsea, with whom he spent seven positive years.

The rumours were put to Hazard at Belgium's pre-Euro 2020 press conference, and he wasted little time in shooting them down.

"I still have a three-year contract with Real Madrid, so going back to England is out of the question," he said.

"Everyone knows that my first two years were not good, so first I want to prove myself at Real Madrid. I will prove myself. I'll do everything to get it.

"I do not see myself leaving Madrid given the situation of my contract. I know myself and I know when I am in shape. If I'm healthy, I can give everything for Real next season. That is my plan."

Some of the rumours surrounding Hazard concerned the future of former Real boss Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman, who explained his departure from Real in a damning letter, is known to be Hazard's idol and a large part of the reason he dreamed of playing at the Bernabeu, and the winger confessed he hopes to link up with Zidane again in the future.

"I am very disappointed with his departure," Hazard continued. "Individually, I wasn't able to give him what I have in me and that is disappointing, with all those injuries. It was difficult.

"But he knows that I appreciate him as a player and as a coach. I had two great years with him and I want to thank him for that, although I am frustrated that I was not able to offer him more. I hope that may change in the future."

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