Eden Hazard has revealed that former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole played a key role in him deciding to join Chelsea in the summer of 2012.
Belgium international Hazard and former England star Cole won Ligue 1 together with Lille in the 2011/12 season.
Chelsea and Manchester United had been battling it out for Hazard’s signature at the time and the 27-year-old told the Blues official twitter account that it was his former teammate Cole who convinced him to chose a move to Stamford Bridge ahead of Old Trafford.
Hazard has gone onto become one of Europe’s top attacking players since moving to West London, winning two Premier League titles and the PFA Player Of The Year award.
The talented playmaker obviously has no regrets about his decision to move to Stamford Bridge, and took the time to thank the former England midfielder, after the 37-year-old announced his retirement from football having spent the last two seasons with Tampa Bay Rowdies in the United Soccer League.
.@hazardeden10: 'I spoke to him before I signed for Chelsea. Every day, seriously, he was telling me that Chelsea was the best club for me. He said Chelsea was a big club where you can win trophies every season. For that reason I signed, so thank you, Joe Cole!' pic.twitter.com/gKV0yN40Ma
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 13, 2018
Cole burst onto the scene at West Ham as a teenage prodigy and went onto to win 56 caps for England, with the most successful spell of his club career coming with Chelsea between 2003-2010 where he won three Premier League titles.