EDEN HAZARD HAS followed the lead of former Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba in becoming part owner of a new franchise in the United States.
The Belgium star, along with Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sow of Al Ahli and Hazard’s former Chelsea team-mate Demba Ba, have combined with local business executives to invest in a new club in San Diego.
The franchise, yet to be named, will compete in the North American Soccer League (NASL), the second tier, from 2018.
Drogba broke new ground in April in becoming player-owner of Phoenix Rising, who compete in a rival second tier, the United Soccer League.
“San Diego is a beautiful place and the love and passion the people have for soccer made this an easy choice for us,” Hazard said.
“My friends and I are honoured to turn this dream into a reality and we can’t wait to get started and win some games.”
“Success is our goal – with the club, with the community, with everything that we do,” added Ba, who now plays for Shanghai Shenhua in the lucrative Chinese Super League.
“One of our goals is to sign players who have a strong passion for the game, who are competitive and love to win. All my life as a football player, I lived with competition and competition is going to be good for us and for San Diego.
“I look forward to competing against our fellow California clubs and the rest of the NASL, as well as MLS clubs in the U.S. Open Cup. It is going to be up to us to be the best.”
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