Hazard set to join Chelsea
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, May 30, 2012
Eden Hazard is set to join European champion Chelsea, which appears to have beaten Premier League winner Manchester City and Manchester United in the race to sign one of football's brightest young talents.
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Lille's midfielder Eden Hazard of Belgium controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group B Soccer match between Lille OSC and Trabzonspor at the Lille Metropole Stadium in Villeneuve d'Ascq, France. |
The 21-year-old Belgium winger had a brilliant season for Lille, scoring 20 league goals, one behind French leader and Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud, and topping the list with 15 assists.
He scored a first-half hat trick in his final game for Lille, which finished third in the league this season after winning the title last campaign.
"I'm signing for the Champions League winner," Hazard said on his Twitter page on Monday.
Chelsea beat Bayern Munich in a penalty shootout earlier this month in the Champions League final to qualify for next season's competition after having finished only sixth in the league.
There was no announcement from Lille that Hazard will join Chelsea, although the club has previously said it is prepared to let him go for about 33 million euros (US$41.4 million).
Hazard was yesterday fined for missing the team bus taking Belgium's footballers to training and has been told to repay his colleagues in champagne.
The winger missed the departure after arriving late in the hotel lobby. He eventually arrived on time at the training ground where the Red Devils are preparing for a Euro 2012 warmup match against England at Wembley on Saturday.
