Arsenal are eyeing a move to sign Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard in the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his attacking options, according to reports via Fichajes.net.
The online news portal claims the Belgium international is likely to be available for a cut price fee with his contract running out in 2024, having played only 98 minutes in La Liga all season.
Arteta is gradually building a formidable team to be able to compete with the best teams in Europe. Last summer, he signed Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City and has since been a key cog of the team.
Prior to suffering a knee injury at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the 25-year-old scored five goals and provided seven assists in 24 appearances in all competitions as the Gunners sit at the summit of the Premier League table with 66 points, five points adrift Manchester City.
The club continued bolstering the squad by bringing in Leandro Trossard from Brighton in January and he has also impressed so far, becoming the first player in Premier League history to bag a hat trick of assists in the first half of an away game, as Arsenal thrashed Fulham 3-0 last Sunday.
Trossard has racked up 10 appearances and made six goal contributions across all competitions for Arsenal, however, Arteta still wants to add at least one more attacker and Hazard is on the club’s list of targets.
Provide depth
Fichajes.net are citing a report from TeamTalk that claims that Real Madrid are looking to offload Hazard in the summer and Arteta is keen on signing him as he believes he can help the 32-year-old recover his best form.
Hazard’s move from Chelsea to Spain has not worked out as he has been hampered by injuries throughout his stay at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. He has seven goals and 11 assists in 73 outings for Real Madrid and has made only seven appearances in all competitions, scoring once and providing one assist in the process this season.
The former Chelsea star, who is valued at just £6.6 by Transfermarkt, recently confirmed he has no plans of leaving Real next season, however continuous lack of playing time coupled with a decent offer from Arsenal could lure him to move back to England.
“I want to play. I want to have fun on the field,” Hazard said.
“Training is good but what keeps us alive are the matches. I hope deep inside me that I can bring something and that the coach is still counting on me, I hope. We’ll see if I’m still going to play by the end of the season. I doubt a little. It’s up to me to show him in training that he can call on me.”
“I would like to stay. I have always said it,” he explained. “To hope to play on the pitch to prove that I can still play football. People have doubts, it’s normal. I understand very well. But for me, I’m still here next year. A transfer is not in order of the day. But you never know.
“I don’t know [what could change my mind]. The only thing I think about is playing. That’s why I don’t even think about leaving. Deep down inside, I think I can bring something. I feel it, that’s all. People, if I bring a little, they’ll trust me again. They might say to themselves that they made a mistake leaving me out. I just need minutes in the legs.”
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