Eden Hazard has disclosed the reason behind his decision to join Chelsea, despite initially lacking interest in the club.
The Belgian icon remains one of Chelsea’s most illustrious players, boasting an impressive record of 110 goals and 92 assists in 352 games during his highly successful seven-year tenure.
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His accolades with the Blues include two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues, and the FA Cup.
However, the narrative could have unfolded differently had the now retired forward not chosen to transfer to Stamford Bridge in 2012 for £32 million—a move that was almost derailed.
At the time, Hazard, who had enjoyed stellar seasons with Lille, was coveted by top clubs, envisioning a move to the Premier League. Surprisingly, Chelsea initially did not feature in his plans.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, the 33-year-old revealed: ‘I had a chat with Sir Alex Ferguson [then Manchester United boss].
‘I spoke with Harry Redknapp, at that time he was the manager in Tottenham. I went to Manchester to see the Man City training ground.
‘So I had a few options, but not Chelsea because the last year in Lille, Chelsea in the league was not that good. You know when you [John Obi Mikel] won the Champions League, in the league you were like sixth or seventh, I don’t remember.
‘I knew I was leaving France to go to the Premier League but not Chelsea, because I wanted to play in the Champions League, you know?
‘So that move came because you won the Champions League.’
Chelsea’s domestic performance during the 2011/12 season was lackluster, culminating in a sixth-place finish in the Premier League. However, their triumph in the UEFA Champions League was nothing short of remarkable, clinching the title by defeating Bayern Munich on penalties in the final.
Mikel inquired of Hazard whether he would have opted against joining Chelsea had they not secured the Champions League victory, to which he responded: ‘Ah my friend, Chelsea was like far away. That’s why I say thank you to [Didier] Drogba!’
Just a few days after Drogba scored the winning penalty against Bayern, Hazard announced he would be moving to Stamford Bridge, tweeting: ‘I’m signing for the Champions League winner.’
