Crystal Palace made a serious pitch to Eden Hazard, it has been claimed.

Palace were linked with the former Chelsea captain this summer after his release from his Real Madrid contract.

British journalist Dean Jones claims that Palace made a serious attempt to sign Hazard.

"It would not surprise me if Hazard now quits football. He has had some strong offers. The one from Crystal Palace, which would give him the chance to play in the Premier League again, was a legitimate one. But the motivation for him to make a comeback doesn't seem to be there," he told Give Me Sport.

"It's been a long time since he played, he would have to work extremely hard to get back to top condition - which means it may take a while before he can play matches at top level. He is free, so clubs that have shown interest have not closed the door, but this is a player who is very confident. He is not swayed by outside noise or behavior and will make the decision entirely on his own terms."