09 August 2023 , 21:08
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Former Chelsea hero Eden Hazard may be closing in his next move after deciding on his preferred destination following his Real Madrid departure.
The 32-year-old's nightmare four-year spell at the Santiago Bernabeu came to a close at the end of last season after his contract was torn up by the Spanish giants. After scoring just seven times in a paltry 76 appearances across his time with Los Blancos, it is fair to say that he failed to replicate the sensational form he showed at Stamford Bridge.
The one-time PFA Players' Player of the Year earned a reputation for his trickery and an eye for spectacular goals in West London but he is still without a club as the season fast approaches around Europe's leading leagues. However, it appears that the attacking midfielder's future may now lay further afield as he looks to breathe new life into his career after his woes in La Liga.
According to AS USA , the Belgian international is weighing up three options ahead of a potential comeback, with Brazil and Saudi Arabia among the locations he is considering for his next move. Intriguingly, the report states that a switch to MLS is the two-time Premier League winner's top choice.
The leading candidates in this regard seem to be Canadian outfit Vancouver Whitecaps, who currently have two Designated Players in the form of Lucas Cavallini and Ali Adnan. That would leave one free space for Hazard to potentially sign, provided he completes any hypothetical move before the MLS free agent window closes on September 2.
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It is worth noting that it has previously been suggested that the 126-time international has previously turned down a potential transfer to join Inter Miami this summer, as per . A host of superstars have moved to the Floridan outfit in the last few months - with Lionel Messi chief among them - but that report had contended that the veteran winger was prioritising staying in Europe.
In terms of the other offers said to be available to the former Galactico, a move to Brazilian giants Botofogo would certainly be a left-field option. Crystal Palace owner John Textor also is the leading investor at the Serie A club and he has been open in the past about his desire to potentially bring the superstar to South America, according to the report.
Eden Hazard reportedly turned down the chance to join Lionel Messi at Inter Miami (Omar Vega/Getty Images)On top of this, a switch to the free-spending Saudi Pro League is also mentioned as a potential option open to the former Chelsea fan favourite. The division has been able to attract such household names as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez over the course of the summer and so it does not seem inconceivable that he could decide to ply his trade there.
Following his departure from the Spanish capital, Hazard did remain coy on the subject of his long-term future, admitting that he still had some decisions to make. He told RTBFL "I know I won't answer you as you want me to, but I haven't made up my mind yet.
"I'm still capable of being a professional footballer. I have level and I've been resting for two or three years. I still have energy. After these three difficult years I want to spend time with my family and go on holiday."