Eden Hazard's father Thierry has revealed that the Chelsea forward may have joined Real Madrid this summer had Zinedine Zidane still been in charge.
The Belgium international confessed in July that he would consider swapping the Blues for Madrid after spending six largely successful years in West London.
Hazard looks certain to stay on at Chelsea for at least another year, however, with the player and manager Maurizio Sarri both playing down talk of an exit before next week's transfer deadline.
According to father Thierry, though, a future switch to the Spanish capital should not be ruled out, even if Zidane has moved on to pastures new.
"It could have been a different story if Zidane had continued as Real Madrid coach," he told Belgian newspaper Hiet Niewuwsblad. "But he had his reasons to leave. I can't say what happened. Maybe Real Madrid have a policy to give chances to youngsters.
"Eden has another year on his contract next summer, and it's possible that he'll still end up at Real."
Hazard is in line to make his first start of the season when Chelsea travel to Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
Daniel Lewis
