Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has suggested that midfielder Eden Hazard will stay at Chelsea confirming that he was able to hold positive talks with the Belgium International.
Hazard returned from an extended break earlier this week following Belgium’s run to the semi-finals of the World Cup. He scored the winning penalty as Chelsea ended their pre-season with a shootout victory over Lyon at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening, with Chelsea fans offering the playmaker a great reception when he came on to the game as a substitute.
The Chelsea midfielder had been the subject of interest from Real Madrid this summer but Sarri confirmed he has had talks with the attacker more than once, suggesting the “problem” surrounding his future has been resolved.
“I don’t see a problem in this moment. I have spoken with Eden two or three times in the last two days. He has spoken of everything. I think this problem, the Hazard problem, is not present now.”
The only problem that Chelsea seem to be faced with at the moment should be the chances that goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois might leave the club for Spanish giants Real Madrid.
He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder and as a wide midfielder. Hazard’s creativity, speed, dribbling and close ball control are widely acknowledged. He has been described as “a superb passer” and has earned critical acclaim for his playing style, which has led to the media, coaches, and players drawing comparisons to Ballon d’Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Hazard is often ranked by coaches, colleagues, and commentators as one of the best players in the world.
Hazard is the son of two former footballers and began his career in Belgium playing for local youth clubs. In 2005, he moved to France where he began his senior career, joining first division club Lille. Hazard spent two years in the club’s academy and, at the age of 16, made his professional debut in November 2007. He went on to become an integral part of Lille under manager Rudi Garcia, racking up over 190 appearances. In his first full season as a starter, he won the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) Young Player of the Year award, becoming the first non-French player to win the award. In the 2009–10 season, Hazard captured the award again, becoming the first player to win the award twice. He was also named to the league’s Team of the Year.
In the 2010–11 season, he was a part of the Lille team that won the league and cup double and, as a result of his performances, was named the UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year becoming the youngest player to win the award.
Hazard was also given the Bravo Award by Italian magazine Guerin Sportivo for his performances during the 2010–11 season. In June 2012, after spending over eight years at Lille, Hazard signed for English club Chelsea, where he went on to win the UEFA Europa League in his first season and the PFA Young Player of the Year in his second.
In the 2014–15 season, he helped Chelsea win the League Cup and Premier League, earning him the FWA Footballer of the Year and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards. Two years later he won his second English title as Chelsea secured the 2016–17 Premier League.
Hazard is a Belgium international, having represented his nation at under-17 and under-19 level. Hazard made his senior international debut in November 2008, aged 17, in a friendly match against Luxembourg. Nearly three years after his debut, Hazard scored his first international goal against Kazakhstan in October 2011. He has since earned over 90 caps, and was a member of the Belgian squad which reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2016. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he captained Belgium to third place which was their best finish in history, receiving the Silver Ball as the second best player of the tournament.