CHELSEA star Eden Hazard will be chased by Barcelona after they failed in their pursuit of Antoine Griezmaan, according to reports in Spain.
Real Madrid want the Belgium captain and they’re still his dream club, even after they parted ways with his hero Zinedine Zidane.
But Barca, who chased Griezmaan after he had spent two seasons flirting with Manchester United, are now ready to step-up their interest.
Spanish paper Sport claim Hazard is now the Catalan club’s primary target and the La Liga giants rarely miss their man.
Coach Ernesto Valverde got his squad back together on Wednesday but the moneymen behind the scenes are working hard to add to his staff.
Barca cannot bear to watch Real Madrid win a fourth consecutive Champions League title and will arm their manager with some heavy artillery.
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There was an £88m slush fund set aside for project Griezmann and that is now earmarked form another top European playmaker.
Hazard is under contract until 2020 and it is unlikely that Maurizio Sarri would not want to work with him once his arrival to replace Antonio Conte is confirmed.
But the pair will have to hit it off to convince the 27-year-old to stick around for another uncertain Premier League season when Manchester City look set to dominate again.
Chelsea fear Real Madrid will swoop for Eden Hazard after Cristiano Ronaldo joined Juventus in a £88million move.
The Spaniards put Belgian ace Hazard, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar at the top of their hit-list.
And Hazard signalled his willingness to join La Liga by confirming it was his “dream” to wear that famous white shirt.
Hazard had previously expressed a desire to play for Zinedine Zidane, who quit Real in May.
But ahead of last night’s World Cup semi-final defeat by France, Hazard said: “Does Real make me dream less without Zidane?
“Zidane is someone special, it’s true, but I think Real is everyone’s dream.
“Zidane or no Zidane, the white jersey of Madrid is special.”
Zidane shocked Real by quitting just days after guiding Los Blancos to a third straight Champions League title with a 3-1 win over Liverpool in Kiev.
But if Chelsea thought last month’s appointment of Julen Lopetegui as Zidane’s replacement might lessen Hazard’s interest in moving, they were confronted with a different reality.
Hazard, 27, added: “The blue jersey of Chelsea suits me well, so it does not bother me if I stay.
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“As I have said at least 100 times, I am at Chelsea and for the moment nobody has made me an offer.”
But that offer could now be coming following Ronaldo’s exit after nine years with the Galacticos.
Real president Florentino Perez is desperate to make a marquee signing on the back of Ron’s exit and the World Cup.
And with Paris Saint-Germain determined not to let either Brazil superstar Neymar, 26, or France ace Mbappe, 19, go this summer, Real are set to make Hazard their prime target.