Eden Hazard transfer news: Belgian will leave Chelsea, the club he loves, on Real Madrid’s terms after goodbye

As Eden Hazard dutifully worked his way around the abundance of television crews desperate to talk to him, the remarks about his immediate future grew steadily stronger and stronger.

First up was BT Sport, for the benefit of English supporters watching back at home. “We will decide in a few days and the only target in my mind tonight was to win this final,” he began. “I have made my decision already and now I'm waiting on both clubs. I think it is a goodbye, but in football you never know. My dream was to play in the Premier League and I have done that for one of the biggest clubs so maybe now it is the time for a new challenge.”

Next up was Bein Sports just a few moments later, with his answers already beginning to harden. “The end is perfect. I think this is [the end]. I said after the World Cup that I wanted a new challenge and it didn’t happen so now it is between both clubs. I am still waiting. We will see. I love the fans and will always support Chelsea, if it is goodbye then thank you for these seven years.”

And then, finally, he was dragged over to RMC Sport, where he could at last speak in his native tongue. “In the next few days, my departure will be official,” he said, the most concrete statement yet that his Chelsea career had arrived at its conclusion. “I think it was my last game. And I hope to face both Lille and Chelsea in the Champions League next season.”

Hazard was utterly sensational against Arsenal in Azerbaijan on Wednesday night. After a slow start to the match, during which he flickered menacingly on the periphery, he exploded into glorious technicolor in the second-half: assisting Pedro for Chelsea’s second goal, scoring their third from the penalty spot and then adding an extra layer of gloss to the result by artfully slotting the ball beyond Petr Cech late on.

His performance was a perfect illustration of just why he is so important to this eccentric and often underwhelming squad. For all their riches, Chelsea do not possess a single other player who can single-handedly bend matches to their will in this way. He has always promised that that he would only quit Stamford Bridge in the wake of winning a trophy and, in his mind, this was a case of mission complete.

Later, after Hazard had quite understandably ducked his final media obligations to slip onto the team bus unnoticed, Maurizio Sarri admitted that he had long known Hazard wants to leave the club. “I knew. I knew that Eden wanted to leave, of course,” he nodded. “And as I have said in every press conference, I want to respect his decision. And now, I have to speak to my club.”

For all of his desire to leave for Real Madrid, Hazard has been exceptionally careful not to upset Chelsea’s supporters. In recent interviews he has repeatedly emphasised how much success he has enjoyed with the club — two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and now two Europa League titles, in case you were wondering — while he has always stopped short of submitting an official transfer request. He loves the club and is eager not to sully his reputation. Thibaut Courtois’ bitterly acrimonious exit is still fresh in his memory.

Yet ever since Chelsea’s final game of the season against Leicester City, when Hazard expressed frustration at the club stalling over a decision regarding his future, there has been absolutely no ambiguity over his position. He is now certain to leave Chelsea for Madrid: either this summer or next, when he will be available on a free transfer.

That leaves Chelsea in an exceptionally unenviable position. Club director Marina Granovskaia wants between £120m-£130m for Hazard, which Real are naturally reluctant to pay. Instead they value Hazard at £88m — roughly the same amount Barcelona are reportedly set to outlay on Antoine Griezmann — and will happily wait an additional season to sign the Belgian rather than spending more. Chelsea’s negotiating hand is hardly a strong one.

Hazard’s representatives have already agreed personal terms with Real, as previously revealed by The Independent, while the Spanish press had a field day when his wife, Natacha van Honacker, was reportedly spotted in Madrid with the couple’s children. All that remains is for the two clubs to decide on when — and for how much.

Given just how unguardedly Hazard spoke in Baku, it would appear to suggest his departure is a case of sooner rather than later. With Sarri’s future also uncertain — the Italian will meet with Granovskaia before the end of the week — Chelsea once again find themselves at the end of another era, and at the end of another rope. It is now back up to Granovskaia and Roman Abramovich to put another knot in it and hang on.