Eden Hazard to leave Real Madrid after dismal four-year spell

Hazard joined Real in 2019 and became the Spanish club's most expensive signing in history, but has been restricted by several injury problems.

Eden Hazard will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season after agreeing to terminate his contract a year early, the club said on Saturday, with the winger enduring a dismal four years in LaLiga since his move from Chelsea. The former Belgium international, 32, joined Real in 2019 and became the Spanish club's most expensive signing in history, but he has been restricted by several injury problems and struggled to settle at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Eden Hazard gestures during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Getafe.(AP)

"Real Madrid C. F. and Eden Hazard have reached an agreement whereby the player is disassociated from the club as of June 30, 2023," the club said. "Real Madrid wants to express its affection for Eden Hazard and wishes him and his whole family good luck in this new stage."

During his time with Real, Hazard won a number of trophies, including the Champions League and two LaLiga titles. He was limited to 392 minutes in the 2022-23 season and has not completed a 90-minutes for the side since December 2021, a lack of game-time that affected his form for club and country. He had a very poor World Cup in Qatar with Belgium as they exited in the pool stage and made the decision to retire from international football after the tournament.

Real have also confirmed the departures of attacking midfielder Marco Asensio and striker Mariano Díaz