Express Sport revealed this morning that Eden Hazard is set to STAY at Chelsea after his move to Real Madrid collapsed over their refusal to pay a world-record £200million to lure him away from Stamford Bridge.
The news will be a boost to boss Maurizio Sarri who has been desperate for Hazard to stay.
But bookmakers Paddy Power believe Willian is on the move, making him odds-on to go to join Manchester United at 5/6.
It’s now more likely for the Brazilian to ply his trade at Old Trafford this season than at Stamford Bridge (Evens).
That comes after a series of bets on the Brazilian joining up with Jose Mourinho again – even if that may be a short-lived reunion.
A spokesman for Paddy Power said: “Chelsea are becoming a bit of a Sarri mess this summer – although, apparently, that’s just the new manager’s playing style.
“With the boss’ high-intensity game-plan, and his inherited squad’s ability to down tools, it’s no surprise that he’s looking to bring in young, hungry recruits.
“The betting patterns over the last 24 hours indicate that teen star Christian Pulisic is on the shortlist – and that Willian is on the way out.”
And Paddy Power believe Chelsea may have already got a replacement lined up with the Blues emerging as the front-runners for the signature of Christian Pulisic, overtaking Liverpool in the betting for the American wonderkid.
Paddy Power have cut the odds on the Dortmund starlet arriving at Stamford Bridge from 7/1 to 7/2.
As for Hazard, Real are willing to pay £150m for the Belgian international, who has so far refused to sign a £300,000-a-week extension to his deal which runs until 2020.
But Chelsea want more than the £198million that took Brazilian superstar Neymar from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Real’s top brass feel that is just too much for a player who has only two years left to run on his current contract – which is why they have reluctantly decided to give up on their pursuit.
Hazard is set to be offered the Chelsea captaincy as bosses look to persuade him to agree to the biggest contract in the club’s history.