5 huge transfers Manchester City missed out on

#4 Eden Hazard (from Lille)

Eden Hazard is currently one of the league's brightest gems

Back in 2012, Eden Hazard had only just begun to announce himself to the footballing world. Playing for Lille in the French Ligue 1, 21-year-old Hazard was clearly head and shoulders above every other player in the division. Quite understandably, he generated a massive amount of interest, mainly from Premier League elites, including Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.

Like Hazard, Manchester City as a club too had burst into the scene that very year, having won their first Premier League title in dramatic circumstances. The City project had reaped it's first major reward, and Europe's biggest talents - including Hazard - were all interested in being a part of it. City were once the bookmakers' favourites to land the Belgian, and it seemed that the Skyblues were about to get the better of their cross-city rivals off the pitch too.

Hazard had himself confirmed his departure to England at the presentation of the Ligue 1 awards, where he was crowned the league's best player :

"I am going to Manchester. The decision will be taken soon."

Against all odds, however, it was another club - Chelsea - who arrived late into the picture. With Manchester City unwilling to meet Hazard's wage demand and United unable to convince him to join them, it was Roman Abramovich who snapped the forward up. Six years on, we all can safely say that Manchester City missed out on a truly special footballer.