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Eden Hazard says he spoke with Sir Alex Ferguson before choosing Chelsea over Man Und

Originally posted on HITC | By Dale O'Donnell | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 4:13 PM ET

Eden Hazard has spoken about a conversation he had with Sir Alex Ferguson about joining Manchester United before he eventually chose Chelsea in 2012.

There have been plenty of high-profile players linked to United who ended up elsewhere.

One of the most famous examples came in 2004, when the club’s attempt to land Ronaldinho fell through. In his place came a young Cristiano Ronaldo, who would later go on to become one of the greatest ever. During the early years under Ferguson, these misses didn’t really seem to hurt them.

There were others along the way as well. Both Eden Hazard and David Silva were rumoured to be close to signing with United before moving elsewhere in England, where they enjoyed successful careers.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s Eden Hazard pursuit came up short despite direct talks

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Eden Hazard may have hung up his boots at just 32, but he left a lasting mark as one of the Premier League’s top attacking players.

His time at Real Madrid never reached those same heights. Injuries played a big part in that, and he managed only seven goals in 76 appearances for the Spanish side.

But nothing can take away from what he did at Chelsea. Seven years, two Premier League titles, and countless moments of magic made him a club legend there.

Things might have looked very different if he’d chosen Old Trafford over Stamford Bridge. Back then, Sir Alex Ferguson was interested in bringing the young Belgian to United.

Hazard had just finished an impressive season with Lille, even winning Ligue 1’s Player of the Year in consecutive seasons.

The story goes that talks broke down when Hazard’s agent reportedly demanded a large payment outside of normal transfer fees. The Times first reported that John Bico wanted more than what United were willing to offer.

Eventually, Hazard made his move to Chelsea for £32 million. He went on to play over 350 games for them before heading to Real Madrid in a deal worth an initial £88.5 million in 2019.

Hazard recently spoke about how close he came to choosing United over Chelsea and mentioned other clubs who had shown interest as well.

How Eden Hazard performed against Man Utd

When fans remember United facing off against Hazard, it’s hard to forget the time Ander Herrera shut him down so effectively, following clear instructions from then-manager Jose Mourinho.

Hazard faced United 19 times in his career after moving from Lille to Chelsea, and while he wasn’t always dominant, he left his mark.

Chelsea came out on top in eight of those games, with seven draws and four losses. In that stretch, Hazard managed five goals and two assists against United.

One of the most memorable moments was the 2018 FA Cup final when Hazard’s goal sealed a 1-0 win for Chelsea.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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