Real Madrid will step up their bid to sign Eden Hazard after the Europa League final next week and are now prepared to pay Chelsea a higher fee in order to secure his signature.

Hazard has just over a year left on his contract remaining but reiterated his desire to join Real Madrid in a meeting with Chelsea in April.

Real Madrid opened negotiations with the Blues over a month ago and have had two offers rejected because they fell well below the asking price, which is in excess of £100million.

But the Liga club are feeling even more pressure to get a deal for the Belgium international finalised. They lost three of their last four La Liga fixtures, including their final home game of the campaign to Real Betis, to finish a massive 19 points behind champions Barcelona.

Real Madrid also suffered a setback in their pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Luka Jovic, who scored in both legs of the Europa League semi-final against Chelsea.

The players Real Madrid hope Zidane can lure to the Bernabeu 6 show all The players Real Madrid hope Zidane can lure to the Bernabeu 1/6 Real Madrid hope Zinedine Zidane’s return can lure some of football’s biggest names to the Bernabeu. 2/6 Eden Hazard Deal complete Getty Images 3/6 Paul Pogba Man Utd



Real Madrid were interested in Pogba while he was at Juventus, but were put off by the Italians' high asking price for the midfielder. The 26-year-old has admitted that playing for Los Blancos and Zidane would be “a dream”, but he would still be expensive now and Real would be more inclined to spend big on forward players this summer. Getty Images 4/6 Sadio Mane Liverpool



Zinedine Zidane wanted to bring in the Liverpool forward last year, but he ended up leaving Real Madrid. Now that he is back, the Senegal winger is one of his top targets as the club seek to reshape their attack this summer. Getty Images 5/6 Kylian Mbappe PSG



Real Madrid were unable to put together a financial package to sign the France forward from Monaco in 2017 and he moved to Paris Saint-Germain instead. He is the club’s top target this summer, although PSG will be in no mood to sell their 20-year-old World Cup winner. AFP/Getty Images 6/6 N'Golo Kante Chelsea



Real Madrid’s midfield is in need of some rejuvenation and renovation with Luka Modric set to turn 34 in September and Toni Kroos possibly departing in the summer. Zidane admires Kante, but he is happy at Chelsea and looks unlikely to leave Stamford Bridge at this point in time. AP 1/6 Real Madrid hope Zinedine Zidane’s return can lure some of football’s biggest names to the Bernabeu. 2/6 Eden Hazard Deal complete Getty Images 3/6 Paul Pogba Man Utd



Real Madrid were interested in Pogba while he was at Juventus, but were put off by the Italians' high asking price for the midfielder. The 26-year-old has admitted that playing for Los Blancos and Zidane would be “a dream”, but he would still be expensive now and Real would be more inclined to spend big on forward players this summer. Getty Images 4/6 Sadio Mane Liverpool



Zinedine Zidane wanted to bring in the Liverpool forward last year, but he ended up leaving Real Madrid. Now that he is back, the Senegal winger is one of his top targets as the club seek to reshape their attack this summer. Getty Images 5/6 Kylian Mbappe PSG



Real Madrid were unable to put together a financial package to sign the France forward from Monaco in 2017 and he moved to Paris Saint-Germain instead. He is the club’s top target this summer, although PSG will be in no mood to sell their 20-year-old World Cup winner. AFP/Getty Images 6/6 N'Golo Kante Chelsea



Real Madrid’s midfield is in need of some rejuvenation and renovation with Luka Modric set to turn 34 in September and Toni Kroos possibly departing in the summer. Zidane admires Kante, but he is happy at Chelsea and looks unlikely to leave Stamford Bridge at this point in time. AP

They thought a £52.9m agreement had been all but finalised, only for Eintracht Frankfurt to up the asking price to £88.1m.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane wants the purchase of Hazard to be the club’s main priority. He sees the 28-year-old as the main reference for his team next term, when they attempt to compete much better in La Liga and the Champions League.

It is believed Zidane is pushing the hierarchy to spend what they need to spend in order to get Hazard at the club. It means they could be prepared to get much closer to Chelsea’s valuation.

Despite facing a two window transfer ban after being punished by Fifa for breaching rules over the signing of foreign minors, Chelsea are prepared to sanction Hazard’s departure.

However, Blues director Marina Granovskaia won’t allow the attacking midfielder - who has won five major trophies since joining from Lille for £32m in 201 - to go on the cheap.

Hazard is fully focused on beating Arsenal in the Europa League Final on Wednesday to ensure his Chelsea career ends on a high if a transfer takes place as expected.

It is understood he hopes that a switch can be finalised before June 4, which is when he has been instructed to report for international duty with Belgium.

That doesn’t leave much time for Real Madrid to reach an agreement as Chelsea won’t get back from Baku, where the contest with Arsenal is being staged, until the afternoon on May 30.

Hazard has made his mind up though. Standard Sport revealed last week that he has been talking to Thibaut Courtois, Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane about moving to the Bernabeu.Speaking to reporters after the club’s final Premier League game at Leicester on May 12, he provided another indication of his desire to join Zidane’s side.

He said: “Yes I have made my decision but it is not just about me. Would I have liked it to be cleared up earlier in the season? Yes, I wanted that but that’s not happened. I’m still waiting like you are waiting and the fans are waiting.”