TheCable

Real Madrid has agreed a €100 million (£88.5m) transfer fee with Chelsea for Eden Hazard, making him the most expensive 28-year-old signing in the history of the game. 

The Chelsea star is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of players above 27 years of age to be signed at €100 million or above.

In football, the older players are worth less than younger players with a lot of promise. It is why Kylian Mbappe at 18 was, and is, more expensive than Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been world best player five times.

According to Guardian UK, Hazard is one of Zinedine Zidane’s priority targets for the summer transfer window as part of his major squad rebuild at Madrid.

With just a year left on his contract with Chelsea, the Belgium international told the club he will not sign a new deal.

Chelsea face the prospect of losing Hazard on a free transfer next summer and have been resigned to losing their star player after their season ended.

Hazard appeared to say goodbye to Chelsea fans after the Europa League final.

“I think it is a goodbye, but in football you never know.”

For now, Hazard continues to train with the Belgian national team ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifiers this weekend.

He is set to become Zidane’s third signing of his second stint as Madrid’s manager.

The most expensive players in football history:

Neymar Jr. — €222 million

Kylian Mbappe — €180 million

Philippe Coutinho — €120 million

Cristiano Ronaldo  — €117 million

Ousmane Dembele — €105 million

Paul Pogba — €105 million

Gareth Bale — €101 million

Eden Hazard — €100 million

Gonzalo Higuain — €90 million

Romelu Lukaku — €84.8 million