Real Madrid will be forced to fork out a huge transfer fee to prise Eden Hazard from Chelsea this summer, according to former Madrid president Ramon Calderon.

The Belgian winger was strongly linked with a move to the Spanish giants after the World Cup last summer but Chelsea rejected all offers for their star man and he stayed put at Stamford Bridge.

However, now that Zinedine Zidane has returned to the Santiago Bernabeu, the Frenchman sees Hazard as the key part of a major upheaval of the Real Madrid squad this summer.

Hazard's contract expires in the summer of 2020 and, despite him being available on a free transfer, Standard Sport understands Chelsea will still demand in excess of £100m for the 28-year-old, who has given no indication that he wants to sign an extension to his contract at Stamford Bridge.

But Calderon, who was elected president in 2006 before Florentino Perez succeeded him three years later, believes Chelsea will still demand a massive fee to part with Hazard.

“Hazard has said many times that he likes Real Madrid and that he would be pleased to have an offer from there," Calderon told Love Sport Radio.

“He’s also talked about his admiration for Zidane so maybe he can be one of the main signings but it depends on the player and on Chelsea. The price will not be low.

If Hazard does opt to move to Madrid, he will join Belgium national team-mate Thibaut Courtois, who left Chelsea in controversial circumstances in the summer for a fee of £35m.

The Champions League holders are also considering a move for N'Golo Kante . The French World Cup winner became Chelsea’s highest-paid player when he agreed a five-year contract worth £290,000-a-week in November.

Chelsea will be reluctant to sell Kante as he has become a vital member of their squad since joining from Leicester for £32m in 2016.

But after Real’s three-year reign as Champions League holders was ended by Ajax in humiliating fashion last week, the Spanish club are determined to bring in some fresh talent and Kante’s name is on their wishlist.