Belgian football star, Eden Hazard will leave Real Madrid at the end of this month, a year before the expiration of his contract.
The Belgian signed for the La Liga giants in 2019 following a hugely successful stint at Chelsea, but injuries affected most of his spell there.
During his time at Real Madrid, he scored seven goals in 76 appearances, 10 of which came in all competitions in the 2022/23 season.
Among the trophies won at the club are two La Liga titles, one Champions League, and one Copa Del Rey.
Confirming that Hazard will leave the club after the final match of the season on Sunday, June 4, Real Madrid said in a statement;
“Real Madrid CF and Eden Hazard have reached an agreement whereby the player will be released from the club as of June 30, 2023.
“Real Madrid wants to express its affection for Eden Hazard and wishes him and his entire family the best of luck in this new stage.”
32-year-old Hazard joined Real from Chelsea for a club record fee that was reported as an initial amount of 88.5-million pounds ($110 million) before add-ons, and a weekly salary of 400,000 pounds, making him one of the team’s top earners.
Having the midfielder off the wage bill for next season will potentially allow Real to target a new forward, with coach Carlo Ancelotti admitting he expects a number of fresh faces to arrive.
The Athletic have reported that ‘retirement is an option’ for Hazard but a decision has not yet been made.
He had a very poor World Cup outing in Qatar with Belgium and announced his retirement from international football after the tournament.