Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s costliest regret: A dream transfer that turned into a €160 million nightmare
In a surprising revelation, Mundo Deportivo has reported that Real Madrid eventually paid an astonishing €160 million to Chelsea for the signing of Eden Hazard.
This hefty transfer fee far exceeds what was initially expected, and it highlights the way modern football transfers are handled.
In today’s world, it’s quite common for the initial figures clubs pay for transfers to balloon significantly, depending on various clauses and conditions.
When a player is signed, the amount paid upfront is rarely the final figure. Many transfers include performance-based clauses that can push the total cost much higher.
These clauses give the purchasing club the immediate opportunity to bring in the player, but if certain conditions are met, it results in additional payments.
The advantage for the club is that if these payments are triggered, it usually means the player has contributed positively to the team’s success on the pitch.
Hazard ended up being an overpaid expense
Hazard’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2019 is a prime example of this. The initial agreed fee for Hazard’s move from Chelsea to Madrid was €145 million.
However, Real Madrid ended up paying Chelsea an additional €15 million due to various clauses included in the contract, bringing the total amount to €160 million.
Despite this massive outlay, Hazard struggled to make a meaningful impact at the Spanish club. Injuries and inconsistent form have plagued his time at Real Madrid, and he has been unable to contribute significantly to their recent successes.
What makes this situation more notable is that Real Madrid won two Champions League titles since Hazard’s arrival, yet the Belgian winger played a very minimal role in those triumphs.
In fact, in the most recent Champions League victory, Hazard wasn’t even included in the squad. Despite his limited involvement, Real Madrid was still required to pay the full amount to Chelsea, as agreed in the contract.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
