Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates after scoring a goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge in London. (Picture: EPA)
Future Messi? Chelsea’s Eden Hazard (Picture: EPA)

Arsene Wenger has revealed how close Arsenal came to signing Eden Hazard before Chelsea swooped in with their big-money offer.

Hazard made his £32million switch to the Blues in 2012 after excelling at Lille, but Wenger say it was the Gunners who were in the driving seat for the Belgian’s signature until Chelsea threw their cheque book on the table.

Wenger told BeIN Sports: ‘Yes, I wanted to take him, I had his agent at my home but again the barrier was financial and Chelsea made an effort that I couldn’t make.

‘He can be one of the players who grows into the Messi, Ronaldo stature if he continues to develop well.’

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger reacts during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on December 18, 2011 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
So close: Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger (Picture: Getty Images)

Wenger is out of contract at the Emirates at the end of the season, and although he insists he’s committed to Arsenal, he admits a move to the Bundesliga would be a potential lure in the future.

He added: ‘If I was to go somewhere then I think it would be in a different country because I am so much Arsenal that I would not like to coach anywhere else in England.

‘Germany (is an option) because I am of German culture a little bit and it’s a country where I have never worked and I am very close to it.’

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