Jurgen Klopp is reportedly keen to bring Eden Hazard to Anfield, but his salary demands exceed what Liverpool are willing to pay as the Belgian has not been at his best since he left the Premier League.
After years of comparisons between Mohamed Salah and Hazard, it would be an odd twist of fate for him to end up playing alongside the Egyptian and I imagine it would put Chelsea fans in a precarious position.
On one hand, they have been insistent that he’s the best forward to have played in the Premier League in recent years. But, on the other, they would likely abandon their support for him if he moved to Anfield.
According to Spanish publication El Nacional, Liverpool and Klopp are very interested in ‘hiring’ Hazard as he has been outcasted at the Santiago Bernabeu and is considered to be “one of the worst signings in the history of Madrid in recent times.”
Since arriving in Spain, the former Chelsea star has struggled greatly with injury and it has had a cataclysmic effect on his form and ability to make an impact for Los Blancos.
The La Liga heavyweights are ready to cut their losses and sell him and it’s alleged that Klopp wants him. They state that the Liverpool boss believes “the problem he [Hazard] has is mental and not quality.”
I don’t think there has been any doubt over Hazard’s quality since he joined Real Madrid but rather that his issue has been physical. If Liverpool were able to sign him, get him back up to speed physically and get him firing on all fronts, the Reds would have the best attacking lineup in the Premier League by some distance.
As it is, Liverpool (29) are the top goal-scorers in England this season and the closest to them in that regard is Chelsea (26) and adding Hazard would only take them to the next level.
The one thing that is missing from Klopp’s team is a player that can create a chance out of nothing from central areas or score a goal that otherwise was impossible.
That said, El Nacional states that Hazard’s wage demands would be an issue and, with the Belgian reportedly earning £381,000 a week, it is easily the most likely reason why this type of deal would never happen.
That, and his injury record, which has seen him miss 58 games and 389 days of football.
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