Ex-Magpies goalkeeper Shaka Hislop believes that given how “poor” he has been, “nobody but Newcastle” would take a risk on Eden Hazard currently.
Newcastle have been heavily linked with Hazard over the past couple of weeks.
They have already been busy this month as they have signed Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood from Atletico Madrid and Burnley respectively.
One free agent with Prem experience that each club must sign
Hazard has been with Real Madrid since 2019. They reportedly paid a fee of around €100m to sign him from Chelsea.
The winger is yet to score from his 16 appearances this term and his time at Madrid has been significantly hampered by injury.
Hislop – who played for the Magpies between 1995 and 1998 – is of the belief that none of the big clubs would take on Hazard at the moment:
“I don’t quite understand this,” Hislop said (as quoted by The Express).
“Listen, I understand Eden Hazard, especially with his history in the game. He feels he wants to go to a bigger European club than Newcastle, certainly right now.
“But given the money that he’s on and given how poor he has been, who’s that club? Who takes on Eden Hazard?
“There’s no big club that takes on Eden Hazard, so he has to look further down the pecking order.
“And the only club who right now can afford his wages is Newcastle United.
“So at least coming back to the Premier League gives him an option in a league that he knows well, that he excelled in, to put himself back in the shop window or whatever that may be.
“I just don’t understand it. What’s the upside in Hazard turning down this opportunity? I just don’t see one.
“At the very least I’d make the move on loan until the end of the season. Get an opportunity to play football again in a league that you know so well.
“And maybe it provides an opportunity for somebody to fall in love with you again.
“Because right now, who on earth is going to look at Eden Hazard right now, as he’s playing right now, with the money that he’s on, and say ‘you know what, I’m going to take a chance’? Nobody but Newcastle.”
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