Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly being eyed by Chelsea as the Blues plan to tempt Los Blancos into selling the Portuguese by dangling Eden Hazard as part of a potential swap deal.
According to Spanish newspaper AS (h/t Jack de Menezes in the Independent), Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is preparing for a squad overhaul following the defending Premier League champions' disastrous form in the English top flight this season.
The report indicates that the Russian sees Ronaldo as a key part of the rebuild, and he is prepared to send Belgian star Hazard the other way in a £70 million deal.
The former Lille player has been desperately short of form so far this season as Chelsea have lost seven of their 12 Premier League games, per Squawka:
Eden Hazard hasn't scored a Premier League goal in 15 games, a run lasting 1375 minutes. pic.twitter.com/s02aUb1fJm
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 7, 2015
Rumours have abounded that he wants out of Stamford Bridge despite starring in their league-winning season in 2014-15, per French newspaper L'Equipe (via Neil McLeman in the Mirror).
Reports have also indicated that Real are prepared to let Ronaldo go in the summer despite the 30-year-old's continued value at the club, per David McDonnell in the Mirror.
Will Ronaldo leave Real in 2016?
Yes No Submit Vote vote to see results
As De Menezes noted, Paris Saint-Germain are also expected to launch a bid for Ronaldo in the summer, and the prospect of him leaving the Bernabeu is becoming ever more likely.
Given that he is still generally accepted as one of the top two players in the world, his departure from Real would involve a huge transfer fee as he is contracted to the Madrid club until 2018.
PSG and Chelsea both have more than enough funds to tempt Real, but the Blues may hold the trump card if they are prepared to let the 24-year-old Hazard go the other way as he would be a ready-made long-term replacement.
Real have also reportedly been eyeing Leicester City's goalscoring machine Jamie Vardy and were set to send scouts to watch him in Spain's Friday friendly against England in Alicante, per the Daily Mail's Matt Barlow.
However, the 28-year-old has been ruled out of the clash through injury, per the Times' Oliver Kay.
It is quite surprising that one-time non-League player Vardy has caught the eye of Los Blancos, but he has been in flying form this season netting 12 Premier League goals in as many games, per WhoScored.com.
