Why Zinedine Zidane being named as Real Madrid boss is bad news for Chelsea

Zinedine Zidane’s appointment as the new manager of Real Madrid is set to see the club’s pursuit of Chelsea superstar Eden Hazard gather pace once again.

Zidane was named the new Madrid manager at a press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu yesterday evening after president Florentino Perez decide to axe former Blues boss Rafael Benitez.

Los Galacticos have long been admirers of Hazard and were heavily linked with a mega-money move for the Belgian wing wizard during much of last summer’s transfer window.

No deal was ever struck though as Chelsea held onto one of their most precious assets but Hazard’s relationship with Jose Mourinho became strained before the Special One was given the chop.

Hazard is going through the most difficult period of his Blues career since joining from Lille for a fee of £32million back in 2012 and he is yet to find the net so far this season.

He has struggled for fitness as well as form and limped out of Sunday’s London derby victory over Crystal Palace, having previously substituted himself midway through Mourinho’s final game in charge.

However, newly-appointed Zidane has never lost faith in last year’s PFA Player of the Year and rates him among the top three players in world football.

Zidane said in November: "After Messi and Ronaldo, Hazard is my favourite player. It is spectacular to see him play. Do I see him going to Real Madrid? I love the player, that's all I will say."

That glowing appraisal from one of the all-time greats will have particularly pleased Hazard as he continued to search for an end to his early-season woes at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues No 10, who turns 25 this week, idolised Zidane as a youngster.

Read more: The players who would benefit from leaving Chelsea in January.

His admiration for the former world champion is so great that he even swapped shirt numbers following the departure of Juan Mata in an attempt to further emulate his hero.

Hazard said at the time: “I wanted it because it was the number of my idol, Zidane, not when he was at Real Madrid (where he wore No 5) but before in the French League.”

With Zidane now occupying the top job at the La Liga giants, Chelsea will have to fend off renewed interest in their most valuable player and a charm offensive from Perez.

The Premier League champions would reject any January approach for Hazard as they will be unable to replace him this month, however club chiefs will be bracing themselves for a bid this summer.

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