Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has broken his silence and has given a bitter truth concerning the relationship between Chelsea and Eden Hazard.
Souness believes that the Blues will struggle to keep Hazard at Stamford the next season.
The Blues suffered a 2-0 loss to Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday evening to slump to their seventh Premier League defeat under Maurizio Sarri.
Hazard was unable to help Chelsea FC leave Merseyside with a positive result to leave their hopes of finishing in the top four in doubt.
The Belgium international has been linked with a move to Real Madrid over the course of the 2018-19 season so far.
Zinedine Zidane’s appointment as Real Madrid’s new manager has only served to intensify transfer speculation linking Hazard with a summer switch to the Spanish capital.
The 28-year-old has less than 18 months left to run on his current deal with Chelsea FC and could become a free agent at the end of the 2019-20 campaign.
And former Liverpool FC captain Souness believes that Chelsea FC will have to embrace a new era at Stamford Bridge, possibly without Hazard and regular silverware.
“If you are Hazard, you are one of the best players in the world, and you are thinking I’m now arguably at the peak of my career and I want to be winning the big trophies,” Souness told Sky Sports.
“Will that happen at Chelsea? I don’t think so. They look like they will struggle to get into the top four. Chelsea have a big decision to make, do they cash in or let him walk in 15 months?”
Souness added: “It’s difficult times ahead for Chelsea. I think there’s a big sea change in how they see things going forward. I don’t think they will be winning trophies in the immediate future.”
Hazard moved to Chelsea FC from Lille in the 2012 summer transfer window.
The Belgian forward has won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the Europa League and the League Cup during his seven seasons at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are in sixth place in the top-flight table with eight games to go in the top-four race.