Hazard drops Arsenal hint

Hazard: Could join Gunners

Lille winger Eden Hazard has revealed that he would consider joining Arsenal at the end of the season.

The 19-year-old is one of the hottest properties in Europe after some excellent performances for the Ligue 1 club, earning him high praise from French legend Zinedine Zidane.

Zidane has reportedly urged Real Madrid to step up their attempts to bring the Belgium international in at the Bernabeu, but they are likely to face competition from the Gunners.

Hazard has been impressed by the record of Arsene Wenger for bringing through promising youngsters to the highest level early in their careers, having had similar success with the likes of Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.

He also claimed that he turned down the opportunity to move on in the summer, as he felt it was too early to make the switch.

Leap

"I could have gone last June, but I was not ready to make that big leap," he said.

"Recently the press have been writing about interest from Liverpool, and it is nice to hear your name being mentioned everywhere, especially with the best teams in the world.

"If I do leave at the end of the season, I don't want to go somewhere where I will be on the bench.

"I am young, not 20 until next month, and it will be difficult to break through in a team like Real, where (Cristiano) Ronaldo and Kaka are my competitors.

"But there are teams like Arsenal, where youngsters can grow more easily into the first team and make their mark.

"I will not leave for another French club, because, with 100 matches under my belt for Lille. I don't think I have to prove my qualities for a team in the same league."