Hazard refuses to renew Chelsea contract amid interest from Real Madrid

Belgian international winger, Eden Hazard, has declined to renew his contract with Chelsea in order to keep the door open for a potential move to Real Madrid, according to his father's statements to 'Le Soir' newspaper.

"Eden has rejected a contract extension to be able to consider the interest of Real Madrid, where he would feel good," said Thierry Hazard in an interview published this Friday.

However, Hazard's father clarified that the Belgian forward hasn't signed any contract with the club managed by Zinedine Zidane.

"At the moment I speak, there's no contract. Eden is just one of the parties," stated Thierry Hazard.

The player himself had recently expressed his "admiration" for the white club, but had been more evasive in his statements about his potential future as a Real Madrid player, pointing out that every year the press links him to either Real Madrid or PSG.

Hazard, 26 years old, left Belgian football at a young age to train in the youth categories of the French club Lille (2005-2007) before making his debut with the senior team in 2007, with whom he won the league and cup titles in 2011.

A year later, he signed with Chelsea in 2012, where he has earned four Ballon d'Or nominations, and the "Premier League" title in 2015 and 2017, as well as winning the Europa League in 2013, among other achievements.