Although the Premier League transfer window closed more than two weeks ago, Chelsea is struggling to hold on to two of their star players amid interest from both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
According to reports in the Guardian, Real Madrid is ready to launch one final bid for their long-term target, Eden Hazard. Further reports in the Daily Star claim that Real president, Florentino Perez is willing to part with a phenomenal €200 million to capture the Belgian from Stamford Bridge before the August 31st LaLiga transfer deadline.
That isn’t the only battle Chelsea will face over the next week as AS claims that Maurizio Sarri is willing to discuss the transfer of Marcos Alonso if a bid in the region of €60 million lands on his desk. Both Atletico and Real have shown interest in the defender who began his career in Madrid.
Chelsea players have been the subject of endless transfer speculation throughout the summer. So far, the Blues have managed to keep hold of most important players with Thibaut Courtois’ move to Real Madrid the only major departure this summer.
However, Los Blancos have publically stated their desire to bring in Eden Hazard as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo and have been linked with the forward all summer. Before the World Cup, Hazard told Belgian outlet, HLN, that he was open to a move away from West London and hinted at Madrid as his preferred destination.
Chelsea will fight tooth and nail to keep a hold of both players due to their importance to the club’s ambition for this season. Should either or both players leave Stamford Bridge it would represent something of a disaster for Sarri as he cannot dip into the transfer market for replacements until January.
However, both Madrid clubs, Real Madrid in particular, want to secure at least one more signing before the LaLiga window closes at the end of the month. With competition between themselves and Barcelona so tight this season, one big signing could make all the difference for the current campaign.
Due to the fact that Chelsea cannot buy any replacements, it is very likely that they will stand firm in rejecting any offer for Eden Hazard. Sarri’s price tag of €60 million for Marcos Alonso is designed as a deterrent and may just work in dissuading either Madrid club to bid for the 27-year-old’s services.
There is a little over a week left in the Spanish transfer window and Chelsea fans will be counting every second until the August 31st deadline. Having already lost their goalkeeper to a Madrid club, Blues’ fans will surely become enraged should either Hazard or Alonso move to the Spanish capital over the next week.