EDEN HAZARD will remain at Real Madrid for the start of next season, teammate Thibaut Courtois has revealed.
The former Chelsea forward has been linked with a move back to Stamford Bridge following an awful couple of years in Spain.
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But Courtois, who is currently with Belgium teammate Hazard as the national team prepare for Euro 2020, has confirmed the 30-year-old is staying at Real Madrid and tipped him to answer critics in the same way divisive star Gareth Bale did.
Speaking to Le Soir, the keeper said: “I’m 100% sure he’s staying. He doesn’t want to move. Only the Madrid press writes about the desire to leave.
“He wants to continue, play free of injuries and win titles.
“At Real Madrid there is criticism all the time and for everyone. Gareth Bale was criticized, but he won the Champions League and scored a double in the final in Kyiv.
“We all know that in Madrid there is pressure and criticism from the press and the fans. But Eden can handle that. I know him well enough to say it. He can still change everything.
“He still wants to be an important player for Madrid and win titles.”
Plagued by injuries since joining Los Blancos in 2019, Hazard has managed just five goals in 43 appearances for the Spanish side.
But he could now find himself with a fresh start after Real Madrid decided to change managers at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.
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Zinedine Zidane left the club after a second spell which was far less successful than his first.
And in comes another former Madrid boss in Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Champions League with the club back in 2014.
When discussing the likes of Hazard and Bale upon his arrival, ex-Everton manager Ancelotti said: “I have a lot of love still for Gareth Bale, Isco, Marcelo… they will have motivation to show they can still play for Real Madrid.
“Eden Hazard? He’s a top player, he’ll show his skills. Hazard and Bale can be so important for us.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
