Eden Hazard wants to salvage his Real Madrid career but would have no complaints if the club asked him to leave at the end of the season.
The former Chelsea winger has endured a dismal time in Spain, with a string of injuries ruining his hopes of transferring his Premier League form to LaLiga.
Now Hazard has a big chance to show what he can do on a different stage, as he prepares to play a part for Belgium at the World Cup in Qatar.
Set to turn 32 in January, Hazard has managed only two goals and one assist in 15 games for Madrid in 2022, starting a mere four times and playing just 532 minutes in the first team. He has a little over 18 months left on his contract.
Considering Hazard won the Silver Ball at the 2018 World Cup, as the second-best player in the tournament, it has been a staggering descent from main man to bit-part player.
Hazard was Chelsea's player of the year in his final campaign at Stamford Bridge, the 2018-19 season, and he has backed himself to hit similar heights again, given an injury-free run.
Speaking to Marca, Hazard said: "I have to prove to everyone that I can play football. People have doubts about what I can do, but I don't."
He described himself as "a good player who just has to play more football", and can see why there are those who doubt him.
"It is normal. I am a player who has not played many games in three years. I can understand it," he said.
"I don't play, but being a Real Madrid player was my dream as a child and after this year I have another season on my contract. I want to play for this club, with this shirt."
All the same, Hazard is a realist and would not want to overstay his welcome.
He says a January move away from Madrid would be "impossible, because I have family and I like the city".
"But in the summer it is possible that I go," he said.
"If the club tells me: 'Eden, thanks for four years, but you have to go', I have to accept it because it's normal. But I would like to play more, show more that I can play, that I am a good player."
Postecoglou reminiscent of Pochettino, says former Tottenham defender Dawson
Ange Postecoglou is a coach in the same style as Mauricio Pochettino so says Michael Dawson, who is excited by the Australian's appointment at Tottenham.
Tottenham's long search for a new coach took them to Celtic's door, and Postecoglou this week signed a four-year contract.
That came on the back of the former Australia coach leading the Hoops to the treble in Scotland in 2022-23.
And former Spurs defender Dawson thinks Postecoglou will end up being an ideal fit.
Speaking to Stats Perform at an exclusive launch event for Club and Nike Members held at Alexandra Palace, Dawson said: "I think it's a really positive appointment with Ange Postecoglou.
"What he did at Celtic, but not just there. I think what he did in Australia and then Japan, people were wondering, how would he actually settle in [at Celtic], how would his style of playing get implemented.
"He's certainly done that Celtic. So now he has to come to our club and do the same. I do believe it's a lot harder because the Premier League, in my opinion, is the best league in the world.
"But he's done in Scotland and now he'll want to come and come to England and do it again at a massive football club. I'm sure he's delighted to get the opportunity to work in the Premier League, and at Spurs and work with a group of young players that are in the building and try and improve them like he certainly did at Celtic."
Indeed, Dawson believes the 57-year-old's approach will be similar to that of Pochettino, who led Spurs to multiple top four finishes and a Champions League final during his stint in charge.
"Daniel [Levy's] gone out and made the manager clear that he wanted to play an attacking style of football," said Dawson.
"I looked at 2014, when I was at the club when Pochettino came through the door. You try and implement your style of what you want with a group of players then try and get the best out of that players and the right personnel to play in the right formation.
"[Postecoglou] plays with a 4-3-3 and with his fullbacks inverted, and they overload the midfield. Players will be on holiday and go away on international duty, but certainly when the first day of pre-season comes he'll be trying to get the message across."
Spurs finished eighth and failed to qualify for a European competition, and Dawson knows they must be targeting much better.
"I look at the Spurs team and the players that we've got at the top of the field with Harry Kane, one of the best strikers in the world," he added.
"He's done it for many years and he will keep doing it. He's an absolute genius, world-class, Spurs' all-time goalscorer, England's all-time goalscorer and he will keep doing that because he's relentless.
"Son [Heung-min], [Dejan] Kulusevski, Richarlison; it's now about getting the best out of these players to try and get us back to where I believe we should be and that's in the Champions League.
"There's no there's no hiding, it was a disappointing season. We looked at 12 months ago when we ended the last two games by beating Arsenal and finishing in the Champions League, it was great. This year we've come up short. The players know that and now you always get another chance."
Jefferson Lerma to join Crystal Palace after Bournemouth exit
Crystal Palace have agreed terms with Colombia midfielder Jefferson Lerma on a three-year deal.
The 28-year-old will join the Eagles on July 1 when his current Bournemouth contract ends.
“I am very happy and excited by this new opportunity,” Lerma told the official Palace website.
“Crystal Palace has good players and a good team, and I want to help with every objective the club has next season.”
Palace chairman Steve Parish said: “Jefferson is a strong addition to our squad.
“He is a proven performer at Premier League level, and his combative and competitive nature will endear him to the Palace fans.”
Lerma made a £25million switch to Bournemouth from Levante in August 2018 and made 184 appearances in five seasons with the Cherries. He has won 33 caps for Colombia.
Liverpool buy back their former Melwood training ground for women’s team to use
Liverpool have bought back their former Melwood training ground for their women’s team to use.
The men’s first team vacated the site in West Derby in the city in November 2020 for a new build at their existing academy base in Kirkby.
Amid local protests, proposals were in place for the land to be turned into a modern, multi-generational housing complex by affordable housing group Torus but after the Robbie Fowler-Jamie Carragher academy moved in plans started to change, which has ultimately resulted in the club re-purchasing their former home.
As part of the move, the crest of the LFC Women’s team, which has previously trained at Tranmere’s base on the Wirral, will move to the official club crest to closer align the two operations.
“This is a truly historic moment for Liverpool Football Club and the continued desire of the LFC Women’s board to elevate and develop our women’s first team and category one professional game academy,” said Liverpool’s managing director Andy Hughes.
“We also have an opportunity to further develop the use of the site to support the local community by using it as an additional base for LFC Foundation.
“We are delighted that FEFA (Fowler Education and Football Academy) will continue to use the site for its college that provides sport and educational opportunities for young people.
“We have always taken the views of the local community seriously and we look forward to re-engaging with them in the near future.”
Torus will use the funds from the sale of Melwood to build much-needed homes across Merseyside.
Developments also continue apace at Anfield where the 282-tonne roof of the old Anfield Road stand has been removed to make way for the completion of the new stand which is due to open for the start of next season and expand the ground’s capacity to 61,000.
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