Hazard signals Lille departure

Eden Hazard says he is ready to leave Lille for a bigger club, but insists he will not move to Ligue 1 rivals Paris Saint-Germain.

The 20-year-old has been linked with clubs such as Bayern Munich, Inter, Arsenal and Chelsea, but Lille academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme recently admitted the midfielder’s likely destination is Stamford Bridge.

Hazard signed a contract extension until the end of the 2014/15 earlier this year, but the Belgium international is now prepared to leave France.

“I am ready to move on and make the next step in my career at a bigger club,” Hazard told L’Equipe.

“I wanted to stay with Lille this term, because I still had things to prove here. I now feel ready to move to a bigger club though. I am ready to make an impact at a foreign club.”

Recent reports from France suggested that PSG are ready to offer 50 million euros for Hazard, but the attacking midfielder has made it clear that he will not sign for another Ligue 1 side.

“Paris is magical and I’m definitely attracted to the city. It’s not for now though. I don’t want to join another French team and strengthen one of Lille’s rivals. That would be the wrong thing to do.”

Hazard has netted four goals and provided four assists in 12 Ligue 1 appearances so far this term.