“He is in our plans for the next season” – Carlo Ancelotti clarifies Real Madrid star’s future amid transfer speculation

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has clarified the club’s stance on Eden Hazard for next season. The Belgian has been persistently linked with an exit in the summer recently but the Italian offered a different view.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of their La Liga match against Elche, he was asked if Hazard was in their plans for next season. To this, Ancelotti’s response was, as quoted by Marca:

“Yes, he’s in the planning for the next season.”

It confirms that Hazard will stay in the Spanish capital beyond the 2021-22 season.

Since his €150 million switch from Chelsea in 2019, the Belgian has struggled with recurring injuries. This has caused him to miss more than half of their games in all competitions.

Even on the pitch, the 31-year-old failed to capture the form that propelled him to stardom in the Premier League. He has looked completely disconnected from his teammates. In 60 games for the club, Hazard has scored only six times, while assisting another 10.

Though he recently helped Real Madrid beat Elche in the Copa del Rey. With the match finishing 0-0 in the 90 minutes, it went to extra time. It later became 1-1 and the game was supposedly heading towards a penalty shootout. But the Belgian popped up with a 115th-minute winner to send his side into the quarter-finals.

It is by far his biggest contribution for the club but it remains to be seen if he’s really coming back to form or if it’s merely a false dawn.

Hazard’s Real Madrid future depends on his ability to build on the goal

Hazard has struggled to nail down a starting berth at Real Madrid due to injuries and poor on-field form. This has had the rumor mill rife with exit rumors, with even a sensational return to Stamford Bridge touted.

Hazard’s contract with Real Madrid runs until 2024, but the next few months will be the most defining period of his ill-fated tenure yet.

However, if the Belgian is able to build on his latest strike, it will hold him in good stead.

Should he succumb to another bout of injury, then Los Blancos won’t want to keep him for the 2022-23 season.

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There was talk of Florentino Perez even trying to offload the player in the current transfer window. But it’s unlikely to happen now with less than 10 days remaining for it to shut.