5 players Real Madrid could've signed instead of Eden Hazard

#3 Robert Lewandowski

Lewandowski would be a huge force in Real Madrid's attack

Apart from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, only Robert Lewandowski can guarantee a return of 40-50 goals per season in Europe right now. That is why it would have made more sense to replace CR7 with the Bayern Munich striker instead of Eden Hazard.

Lewandowski has been Europe's most prolific footballer over the last two seasons, scoring goals almost at will and helping his team claim major trophies. He was recently awarded the prestigious European Golden Shoe for his 41 goals in the Bundesliga last season. He broke the late Gerd Muller's record of 40 goals in one season in the process. That came just a few months after he was crowned the best player in the world by FIFA.

The Polish striker would've been a great option to lead Real Madrid's attack. With him and Karim Benzema up front, Los Blancos would stand a better chance of claiming silverware.

#2 Mohamed Salah

The Liverpool forward has performed better than Eden Hazard in each of the last four years

The Egyptian winger also appeared on Real Madrid's radar before the Spanish giants decided to settle for Eden Hazard. Interestingly, Mohamed Salah was clearly at a superior level to the Belgian prior to his move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Egyptian contributed 44 goals and 16 assists for Liverpool in the 2017-2018 campaign, a far cry from Hazard's 17 goals and 13 assists for Chelsea. Salah bagged 27 goals and 12 assists for the Reds in 2018/2019, which also stands strong against the Belgian's return of 21 goals and 17 assists.

Hazard has bagged just five goals and nine assists since switching to Real Madrid, with Salah bagging a whopping 59 goals and 21 assists within the same timeframe. (Stats: Transfermarkt)

#1 Kylian Mbappe

The Frenchman could join forces with Eden Hazard at the Santiago Bernabeu in the near future

Paris Saint-Germain winger Kylian Mbappe has been on Real Madrid's radar since his days with Monaco. Of course it would cost Los Blancos more money to lure the Frenchman from the Parc des Princes. But he would definitely be worth every penny, especially considering his age.

Mbappe has the profile to become a huge star at the Santiago Bernabeu with his charisma and aura on and off the pitch. More impressively, the 22-year-old has established himself among the big names in European football, with brilliant displays over the last few seasons.

Since joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, the Frenchman has recorded a whopping 136 goals and 65 assists to his name in 178 appearances across all competitions. Both parties were heavily linked during the recently concluded transfer window. Apparently, it is only a matter of time before Mbappe becomes a Real Madrid player.