Chelsea decides to replace Eden Hazard by £ 70m despite transfer ban

Chelsea is ready to return to the former London club Eden Hazard to replace his replacement Nicolas Pepe.

The Ivorian winger, 23, has clearly indicated to the French formation that he wanted to leave this summer. Lille reacted by inflicting a price of 70 million pounds.

Pepe has been a big hit in Ligue 1 this season, scoring 19 times and helping 11 more in just 32 games. This sensational course has allowed Lille to climb to second place in the standings.

Chelsea, who will meet Slavia Prague at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, is resigned to losing Hazard at the end of the season, with the Belgian having more than a year to go.

The club is fighting against the transfer ban it has imposed on them and aligns Pepe in case their appeal succeeds.

Hazard spent five years in Lille before leaving for London as part of an outstanding £ 32 million contract in 2012. The 28-year-old has since won two Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and the Europa League.

With the club languishing outside the top four in the Premier League, Hazard should follow suit with his well-researched wish to work with Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, defenseman Gary Cahill continues to spark West Ham's interest. The 33-year-old former England defender has been out in the cold, desperate for regular first team football in Chelsea.

He could make his dream this week with Antonio Rudiger a big doubt for the second leg of the quarter-final on Thursday.

Rudiger pbades a scanner to determine the extent of the knee injury he suffered in the defeat on Sunday in Liverpool.

Cahill has only made seven appearances this season, including the last against PAOK Thessaloniki five months ago.