Saturday, 14th April, 2012

Manchester United first team coach Rene Meulensteen has confirmed that Sir Alex Ferguson is taking a close interest in Eden Hazard and has scouted him on a number of occasions to assess the Belgian’s character.

Hazard has attracted attention from clubs across Europe and is set to leave Lille this summer in search of greener pastures.

The forward has been continually linked with a switch to the Premier League and has previously admitted his delight at having spotted Ferguson in the Lille crowd, watching his progress.


And Meulensteen well admits that the legendary boss is very keen on Hazard, though insists he is still assessing the player’s character to judge his suitability for a switch to Old Trafford – and Ferguson will not be rushed.

"The manager wanted to watch Hazard. That is a sign that he thinks he is an interesting player", the Dutch coach told Voetbal International.

"We’ve talked a lot about him.

"Hazard is a special talent, but we’re going to take our time.

"Ferguson wants to know about the player’s character, and that is why he is watching him himself.

"Hazard is a key player at Lille and Ferguson wanted to see whether this has had an influence on him."

Even if Ferguson were to be convinced of the merits of a bid for Hazard, Manchester United would still face significant opposition for the Belgium international.

However, the Red Devils could be prepared to break the bank for the 21-year-old, who has been singled out as one of the most impressive talents in European football.

Hazard has made 31 appearances in Ligue 1 this season, finding the back of the net 14 times and helping Lille to third spot in the table at present.

Don’t miss the latest news, features and interviews.
Like InsideFutbol.com on Facebook.

   Latest Features:

Follow Inside Futbol on Twitter