Crystal Palace are prepared to take the gamble on former Real Madrid winger Eden Hazard. The former Belgium captain has been a free agent since the Los Blancos terminated his contract in June. However, he has no retirement plans and believes he will play football for another few years despite his injury crisis.
According to the reports from Football Transfers, the feeling is mutual at Crystal Palace, as the Premier League club believes they can get a few decent seasons out of Hazard. The Eagles sold Wilfred Zaha to Galatasaray this summer, and he was an important part of their attacking plans for the last few years. The lack of cutting edge was seen in their display against Arsenal on Monday night, where they couldn't break the Gunners down despite having one man more on the pitch.
Now, Crystal Palace believe that the experience and leadership of Hazard can enable them to have a decent season. It will be quite a downgrade for the former Chelsea man, who will go from being at arguably the biggest club in the world to a midtable Premier League outfit in Crystal Palace. However, Hazard knows he doesn't have many suitors in the market, and returning to the Premier League may salvage his career.
Hazard retired from Belgium after a disastrous 2022 World Cup, where the European giants got knocked out in the group stages. Hence, he will not have the pressure of delivering match-winning performances every week to be eligible for the upcoming Euros. Moreover, he will also not have any expectations at Crystal Palace like he had at Chelsea and Real Madrid.