Emerson Palmieri has hilariously revealed how new Eden Hazard abruptly left the Chelsea players’ WhatsApp group after his move to Real Madrid.
Eden Hazard made his switch from Chelsea to Real Madrid this summer window for initial £88m after speculation lasting months, if not years, over the Belgium international leaving Stamford Bridge.
The Blues’ 4-1 win over Arsenal in the Europa League final turned out to be Hazard’s last match for the club, in which he scored a brace in Baku.
The 28-year-old declared his intention to leave the club after the Europa League final and he has followed through with his statement, by making the transfer to the Spanish capital.
However, Chelsea full-back Emerson says that the other players didn’t fully believe he was set for an exit until he left a Chelsea players WhatsApp group.
‘On the WhatsApp group, the last move there was Hazard’s farewell,’ Emerson told ESPN Brazil.
‘He said goodbye to the boys and such, since then, we don’t know anything else. It’s weird.
‘He sent a ‘thank you, I love you guys’, and then it showed “Eden Hazard left the group”. ‘I said damn, he really left.’
While Hazard’s message was a warm one, he certainly didn’t wait to get any replies from his now former team-mates at Stamford Bridge.
Emerson himself was not a regular starter in the Chelsea first-team last campaign, regularly playing the role of understudy for Marcos Alonso.
However, his manager last campaign, Maurizio Sarri, is clearly a fan of his work as Sarri wants to take him to Juventus this summer – speculation the Italian has dismissed.
‘I’m happy at Chelsea, we won the Europa League and I am calm,’ said the 24-year-old.
‘I didn’t receive any call, I am happy here. There is nothing to say, I am focused on Chelsea.’
