Arsenal are said to have held a meeting with Real Madrid over the potential loan signing of winger Eden Hazard in the summer, according to reports. The Belgian has struggled since he switched to the Bernabeu in 2019.
It would represent a shock move for the Gunners, seeing as the 31-year-old shined while at London rivals Chelsea all those years before. Of course, his final game for the Blues was the Europa League final win over Arsenal.
Despite making a move to La Liga for over £100million, he can’t get into the Real Madrid team as he has struggled to settle as well as being impacted heavily by injuries. In just 65 competitive appearances, the winger has scored just six goals and assisted ten.
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Discussing his lack of game time back in February, Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “He [Eden Hazard] is fine and is training well, but I make decisions for the team; If he doesn’t play, it’s because I choose someone else. He has played games that I believed he could help the team. It is nothing personal, and he doesn’t have any physical problems.”
However, it appears as though he could be shown the exit door this summer as Footmercato reports that the club are looking to send him out on loan. They also claim that Arsenal have held an early meeting with them over a potential deal for Hazard.
It would be a huge gamble, as he is likely to have high wages, and the Gunners will not want to carry passengers going into the next campaign. However, they could repeat the trick they used with Martin Odegaard last year.
The Norwegian joined on loan from Real Madrid and impressed in his short time at the club. This prompted Arteta to sanction his signing, and he has continued that momentum ever since, becoming an invaluable starter in the side.
It could work out that way for Hazard, who would have one-year remaining on his contract when the loan would end in 2023, giving further bargaining power to Arsenal if they wanted to sign him permanently. Equally, if it were not to work out, the side would not be stuck with a player they didn’t want on high wages.
The move could also reinvigorate the Belgian, who has been snubbed from Roberto Martinez’s latest national team and with Qatar 2022 at the end of the year, he will be desperate to make the squad. The Premier League could provide the ideal platform to do that, as Philippe Coutinho has shown since making the loan switch to Aston Villa after struggling at Barcelona.
It remains to be seen whether a deal is possible, but it could be a calculated gamble that works in the Gunners' favour going into the next campaign.
