When Real Madrid or Barcelona persistently go after a player, it is in a club’s own best interest to start preparing for the departure of said player. It is very rare to see players turning down either of these two Spanish giants. I do not know how they pull it off but – even when players know they will only be bench-warmers there – many will still move to Barcelona or Real Madrid. Players simply cannot refuse them.
For this reason, I think it is time Chelsea started preparing for the inevitable departure of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid. Los Blancos have been on the chase for the Belgian superstar for a while now and, if you ask me, it is a matter of when – and not if – Hazard will join the reigning Champions League holders. And it could well happen this summer.
It seems Chelsea are aware of this and are bracing themselves for when the former Lille attacker finally gets his dream move to Spain. According to reports, Chelsea are already working to sign Napoli attacker Lorenzo Insigne as manager Antonio Conte sees him as an ideal replacement for Eden Hazard.
Various reports claim Real Madrid will make a big offer for Hazard this summer and Chelsea reportedly moving for Lorenzo Insigne is an indication that the Premier League champions have accepted their fate. Insigne, 25, scored 18 times for Napoli this past Serie A season and added nine assists. A stat that is certainly impressive for a player playing in a league as defensive as the Italian league. In my opinion, he is only going to get better at Chelsea – should they sign him.
Reportedly available for £45 million, Chelsea should have no problem paying his transfer fee, especially if Hazard moves for big money – as one would imagine. The Italian would be useful in Conte’s 3-4-3 formation. He can play as a right winger, a right wing-back and in other roles.
I believe Chelsea would be better off replacing Hazard with Arsenal’s Alexis Sánchez but the chances of them pulling off that deal are very slim. But, in my opinion, Lorenzo Insigne certainly wouldn’t be a bad signing for the Premier League champions.
