EDEN HAZARD RESISTED the lure of Jose Mourinho when he was tearing the French Ligue 1 up as a 19-year-old. The Belgian playmaker turned down a move to Mourinho’s Real Madrid as he wanted more first-team football with Lille.
The pair have been united at Chelsea this summer and Hazard reveals that Mourinho has told him to be ambitious with his game. The 22-year-old, in return, has given his boss some advice on who he should sign before the season gets underway.
Speaking to the media in Sydney yesterday, Manchester United boss David Moyes remarked, “Overall, my thought on Wayne Rooney is, if for any reasons we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we’ll need him.” Hazard is in no doubt that Chelsea could harness Rooney’s skills.
He told Sky Sports, “Rooney would be a brilliant signing. He’s a great player who has the experience and he’s still only young, at 27. He’s got a few years left to play. But it’s not up to me. It’s not my decision.”
Transfers may not be Hazard’s decision but has not stopped him from commenting, when asked, on players that may aid Chelsea in their quest to end a three-year wait for the Premier League. Christian Benteke, who has handed in a transfer request at Aston Villa, is one such player.
“Benteke is my friend,” said Hazard of his international teammate. “We get on very well.” The Chelsea star added:
He had an unbelievable first season for a young striker in the Premier League. His dream is to play even higher. I think he’s got all the attributes to do well at a big club.”
One forward that has emphatically stated his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge for the coming season, having been loaned out to West Brom for 2012/13, is Romelu Lukaku. “He has a real chance,” declared Hazard. “What do you ask of a young striker? To score goals – and he can do that.”
