Apparently.
Manchester City are planning a stunning £150m bid for Eden Hazard in the summer transfer window, according to the Sunday Mirror.
City missed out on Alexis Sánchez to Manchester United earlier this month, refusing to pay £400k a week wages for a player who might not completely buy into the Pep Guardiola’s way of playing.
Guardiola agreed on the club’s stance not to sign Sánchez given the circumstances that had arisen, but City see Hazard as a better investment as he is only 27 years old and is entering his peak years.
Hazard’s current contract runs out in June 2020. Chelsea will not want to let it run down to within two years of expiring, as that would see the winger’s value depreciate and the balance of power shift over to the player.
Real Madrid are also interested in signing the Belgian as they prepare for a squad overhaul in the summer. Hazard would fit the bill as their long-term Cristiano Ronaldo replacement on the left wing.
Man City are hoping to beat Real Madrid to Hazard’s signature in what could become a three way fight for the his services.
Since Guardiola’s arrival, City have signed Leroy Sané, Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva while they already had Raheem Sterling and Sergio Agüero, but despite this quality in attack there is a lack of depth.
Should they move for Hazard, they would be able to rotate their wide players more, reducing the burden on Sterling and Sané, not that Hazard would be happy on the bench though.
The Sunday Mirror’s report claims City are not hesitant to smash the British transfer record for Hazard, but it would be a huge shock if Chelsea were to sell their best player to direct rivals.
