Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Eden Hazard on a five-year deal, ending mounting speculation linking him with the club.
A deal appeared to have been agreed earlier this week, with multiple news outlets in Britain reporting an £88.5m (€100m) bid had been accepted for the 28-year-old.
"Eden Hazard will be presented as a new player of Real Madrid on Thursday, June 13 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, after passing the relevant medical examination," the La Liga giants said in a statement on Friday evening.
👉 #WelcomeHazard pic.twitter.com/6CvH9LHXSy
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) June 7, 2019
Hazard joined Chelsea from Lille after the London club lifted the Champions League in 2012. During his time with the Blues, he made 352 appearances and scored 110 goals.
The attacking midfielder had remained coy over his future toward the end of this season, but indicated after the Europa League final last month that his two-goal cameo in Baku would be his last for the club, saying: “I think it is a goodbye.”
Referring to his future, he commented: "I don’t know yet, we will decide in a few days. I’ve made my decision already. It’s depending on both clubs. We will know in a couple of days. I think it is goodbye, but in football, you never know. Maybe it is time for a new challenge."
He joins Zinedine Zidane’s team as the rebuilding job at Real Madrid continues following a turbulent season which saw them lift no major silverware. Los Blancos struggled last season and Zidane's appointment was their third managerial choice in the space of a year.
Hazard will now become an integral part of the Madrid attacking line-up, with rumours that Gareth Bale appears to be heading toward the Bernabéu exit.
In seven seasons at Chelsea, Hazard won the Premier League and Europa League on two occasions, the FA Cup and League Cup.
