Chelsea are set to receive a bonus of approximately £5 million ($6.3m) as part of Eden Hazard's transfer to Real Madrid, despite the former Belgium winger retiring from football last October. This information comes from a source familiar with the situation.
Hazard's £130m transfer from Chelsea to Madrid in 2019 included various performance-related add-ons, one of which has now been triggered. This particular bonus was contingent on Carlo Ancelotti's side reaching the upcoming Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Despite Hazard agreeing to terminate his contract last summer and subsequently announcing his retirement at the age of 32 in October, the contractual obligations between the two clubs remain in effect. As a result, Real Madrid is obligated to make an additional payment to Chelsea.
Sources within Chelsea have consistently maintained that the club is not worried about adhering to the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations. However, the club's significant expenditure of £1 billion since the completion of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital's takeover two years ago has left them with limited financial flexibility this summer.
The windfall from Hazard's transfer will be a welcome boost for Chelsea as they look to reinvest in their squad. Meanwhile, Real Madrid may find themselves questioning the value of the deal for a player who scored seven goals in 76 appearances across all competitions during his four seasons in Spain.