Agent Drops £25million Hint as Race for Wing Sensation Gathers Pace

The agent of long-term Arsenal and Liverpool target Eden Hazard has issued a very public come-and-get-me plea to a host of Europe's top clubs including Chelsea and Manchester City.

The prodigiously gifted 20-year-old has long been associated with moves to Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, however the winger's lofty valuation appears to be playing into the hands of cash-rich Manchester City as the January transfer window draws nearer.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been tracking the Ligue 1 speedster for the best part of 18-months, while Liverpool and manchester United were both strongly linked with the player during the summer. Despite the notable interests from the three aforementioned Premier League clubs, Hazard's agent Marc Formeaux intimates Manchester City have shown the greatest intent to sign the winger.

Formeaux claims Manchester City have proposed a deal whereby they would loan the starlet back to Lille until the end of the season having paid £25million next month. While Arsenal, manchester United and Liverpool are yet to formally enter the race, Hazard's agent claims there are a host of other clubs looking to sign the player.

"In France, people are talking about an offer of €30m from (Manchester) City and that he would then be loaned back to Lille for free until June," Formeaux told AS when discussing the rumoured Liverpool and Arsenal target.

He added: "His future is with one of European football's prestigious clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City, AC Milan, Inter or Juventus."

Although the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea have seemingly registered their intent to sign Hazard, and others such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal are biding their time in the race for the in-demand hotshot, Formeaux claims the Belgian international would preferably like a transfer to Real Madrid.

"For Hazard, the president of Lille wants to receive €40m (£33.3m) while the player himself has declared that he wants to play for Madrid."

The lucrative advances of Manchester City would appear to have thwarted the long-standing interest from the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool, although Chelsea could yet rival their financially endowed Premier League counterparts following reports at the weekend that claimed the Blues could have as much as £150 million to spend in January.