'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Eden Hazard revealed that it was Didier Drogba whose phone call convinced him to join Chelsea from Lille in 2012, not chairman Roman Abramovich’s as claimed by former Lille manager Rudi Garcia in autobiography.
Hazard initially had doubts over joining the London-based club because of their poor league position in the 2011-12 season. However, following a call from Drogba, Hazard changed his mind.
Speaking to magazine So Foot in an interview, the Belgian winger said, “I didn’t want to go to Chelsea because I wanted to play the Champions League and they were sixth in the league.”
“I was convinced when they won the Champions League in 2012. At the time, Roberto Di Matteo really wanted me, they had Juan Mata, and Oscar had been bought.”
“I was told: ‘You’ll see, Chelsea will play football’. Gervinho called me and said: ‘Someone’s on the phone’. I didn’t know who it was but it was Drogba, he wanted me to sign,” he went on.
“I was flattered, he was maybe the best striker in the world. In my head, I wasn’t going to sign, but in the end I was very pleased with my choice. I didn’t speak to Abramovich. I don’t know why coach Garcia wrote that in his book,” he added.
