Eden Hazard has left Real Madrid after a disappointing four seasons in the Spanish capital. His departure has led to speculation that he may have “sacrificed himself” for the good of his former club, Chelsea. Some Blues fans believe that Hazard’s exit has cleared the way for Real to sign Chelsea’s Kai Havertz, who has been linked with the LaLiga giants. The theory is that Hazard’s departure has created space in Real’s squad for Havertz, and that the Belgian may have left to make room for the German.
Hazard joined Real in 2019 in a deal worth up to £150million, but struggled for form and fitness during his time at the club. He scored just seven goals in 76 appearances and had a strained relationship with manager Carlo Ancelotti. The club and player parted ways by mutual consent.
Havertz, on the other hand, joined Chelsea in 2020 for a then-club record £75m deal from Bayer Leverkusen. Despite scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final in his first season, the German has lacked consistency. This has left Chelsea open to selling him in the summer, with Real leading the race for his signature.
Real are also in search of a new No9 following the departure of star striker Karim Benzema, who is linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Havertz is seen as a potential replacement for Benzema, and his signing would be a major coup for the Spanish giants.
While there is no concrete evidence to support the theory that Hazard sacrificed himself for Chelsea, it is clear that his departure has created an opportunity for Havertz to move to Real. Whether this was intentional or not remains to be seen, but it is clear that Hazard’s time at Real did not go as planned, and his departure may be a blessing in disguise for both him and Chelsea.