Chelsea give Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois three-week holidays to complete Real Madrid transfers
Belgium pair not expected to report for training until August 5 at the earliest, four days before the transfer window slams shut
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CHELSEA have handed in-demand duo Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois three-week holidays... complicating their potential transfers to Real Madrid.
The Belgium pair are not expected to report for Blues training until August 5 at the earliest, just four days before the transfer window slams shut.
The stunt from new boss Maurizio Sarri could potentially scupper Los Blancos' audacious double-swoop.
Earlier this week while at the World Cup - where Belgium finished third - Hazard hinted he may finally bag his move to the Bernabeu.
Hazard claimed: “I spent six years with Chelsea, I played a fantastic World Cup and maybe it is time to change something.
"It is not my decision. The club will decide. Now I just want to go on holidays and we will see what happens.”
Real have been long-time admirers of Hazard - and could well step up their pursuit with Cristiano Ronaldo joining Juventus in an £88million deal.
Courtois has also been tipped to move to the Spanish capital, with president Florentino Perez keen to install him as their No1 over Keylor Navas.
But now the Red Devils duo - along with Gary Cahill, N'Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud - will enjoy a three-week break, meaning any potential deal would have to be a last-gasp rush-job.
During the break, it's expected Sarri and Co will look to tie the pair down to new long-term deals, with Chelsea willing to offer Hazard a bumper £300,000-a-week.
