Chelsea are leading the race ahead of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs to sign highly rated Lille star Eden Hazard, according to reports.

The Sunday Express believes Chelsea have emerged as favourites to land the brilliant Belgian international who has been rated at £40million. Lille are resigned to losing their starlet next summer, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs all tracking the starlet. As well as the Premier League quartet, PSG, Inter Milan and Real Madrid are also set to battle it for 20-year old.

Over the weekend, Lille president Michel Seydoux signalled the start of a Europe-wide auction that could top £40million by admitting the search for Hazard’s replacement had begun, and the 20-year-old’s academy mentor Jean-Michel Vandamme revealed: “Chelsea has been following him the closest.”

It was reported last month that Madrid had already signed the winger and would join next summer, but his agent strongly refuted the claims and insists Madrid wasn’t necessary the automatic choice for Hazard.

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