McDermott: Reading priced out of Hazard deal

Brian McDermott says Reading enquired about signing Eden Hazard six years ago when he was the club’s chief scout.

The Royals’ manager revealed he visited French club Lille and was immediately impressed by Hazard’s talent, but Reading were priced out of a move for the forward.

On Wednesday McDermott and his players could come up against Hazard, when they visit Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

He told reporters: “I would go to three games over the weekend starting on Friday night and one of them on this particular trip was at Lille.

“Hazard was just playing his first games in the team. He was still only 16, I think. I hadn’t gone there to see him, just to take in the fixture, but he stood out within minutes like the proverbial sore thumb.

“He could just go down the side of people – and on either side – and he had such great, quick feet.

“I earned my living then by wandering in search of players, and I might have asked about him, but no way was he available. I remember discovering Marouane Fellaini when he was still a teenager, too, and being quoted 7 million pounds.

“These guys know when they have a special talent on their hands – you can’t turn up at a place like Lille and just go, ‘We’ll take your best player.’ It just doesn’t happen.”

McDermott feels Hazard will have no problem adapting to the physicality of the English Premier League and feels he has the right attitude to succeed at the top of the game.

“Everyone in Europe knew what a talent he was going to be,” he said.

“How old is he? Just 21? He’s incredible.

“I went to see Chelsea’s game at Wigan on Sunday and he was terrific. Not just him but also Juan Mata, you saw the little interplays between the two of them – and then they could bring on Oscar too.

“It seems like he’s a good lad and is going to handle the physicality of the league no problem. I gather he’s said he isn’t frightened of being kicked out of the Premier League, but you can’t do that now anyway.”