Eden Hazard was something special during his prime. Those years at Chelsea were electric; he played a crucial role in the team, bringing home two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, and two Europa League wins. When Chelsea signed him in 2012, it felt like a major coup for them. Before joining the Blues, Hazard had made a name for himself at Lille, where he won both Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France. His talent drew the attention of some of the biggest clubs in the game.
Despite being interested, they ultimately decided against pursuing the player because iconic manager Sir Alex Ferguson believed the asking price was excessive. He famously remarked, “He’s a good player, but £34 million?” Ferguson was known for his tough negotiations and rarely deviated from his principles.
Eden
When the price for Hazard was more than Ferguson was willing to pay, he moved on and shifted Manchester United’s focus to Shinji Kagawa, whom they signed for a much lower initial fee of £12 million, with an additional £5 million in potential add-ons. Ferguson believed Kagawa offered better value for money, stating, “What we’re finding anyway, the climate for buying these top players—it’s just getting ridiculous now.”
In hindsight, United might have been better off shelling out the extra cash for Hazard. Kagawa struggled at Old Trafford, scoring just six goals in his first season and failing to find the net at all in his second. Eden Hazard quickly made a name for himself at Chelsea, scoring 13 goals and providing 23 assists in his first season. His outstanding performance helped him establish himself as one of the greatest players in league history.
Kagawa
Ferguson made many smart decisions during his tenure, but passing on Hazard was certainly a misstep. Interestingly, after joining Real Madrid in 2019, Hazard’s career declined sharply, and he retired at just 32. At 36 years old, Kagawa is still making his mark on the field with Cerezo Osaka in Japan.
