NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Chelsea will get an additional £5m from Real Madrid following the deal that saw Eden Hazard move to the Bernabeu in 2019, although he no longer plays for the Spanish club.
The former Belgian foreigner was sold to Real in the summer of 2019 for a total payout of around £130 million, of which £40 million is made up of performance-related add-ons.
Hazard was 28 at the time and entering the final year of his contract, and the move was hailed as a masterclass in negotiating through Chelsea’s hierarchy.
The deal seemed even better when he retired from football last year after scoring just four La Liga goals for Real and, incredibly, Chelsea still enjoy the transfer, even now.
According to The Telegraph, one of the additions came this month when Carlo Ancelotti’s team reached the Champions League final.
After knocking out Premier League leaders Manchester City in the quarter-finals, Real eliminated Bayern Munich in the semi-finals to triumph in the final at Wembley early next month.
They will now face Borussia Dortmund and, regardless of the outcome, will have to pay £5m to Chelsea from the deal that saw Hazard move to the Bernabeu.
Although the Belgian can no longer play for Real, he first signed a five-year contract with the Spanish giants and the terms of his transfer remain valid for the same period.
Hazard agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent last summer, a year earlier, after a series of injuries and physical losses, hanging up his boots for October.
The shrewd deal was orchestrated through former Chelsea chief executive Marina Granovskaia and, while modest, is a welcome incentive as the club seeks to comply with the Premier League’s benefits and sustainability rules.
The Champions League final could prove to be an expensive day for Real Madrid, as the Whites will also have to pay other bonuses on other transfers.
Last summer’s deal for Jude Bellingham, for example, included around £27. 5m in add-ons, of which £4. 3m would be due to Dortmund if Real managed to beat them at Wembley.
On top of that, if Bellingham is in the Champions League Team of the Season, which is likely to happen after a stellar campaign, then Dortmund will receive an additional £1. 7m at most.
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