Belgium boss Roberto Martinez has advised Eden Hazard to stay at Chelsea because he can ‘reinvent’ himself at Stamford Bridge.
The winger has 18 months to run on his deal in west London and he’s openly admitted he’s considering a move to Real Madrid.
Hazard has long dreamed about a move to the Bernabeu but Chelsea are willing to make him their highest paid player ever and his family are settled in London.
Maurizio Sarri is desperate to keep Hazard but has risked upsetting him by playing him in an unfavoured central position.
Martinez, though, believes Hazard risks losing what he has at Chelsea by moving to Spain and says there’s plenty more he can do with the club.
" Eden Hazard will never let you down," Martinez told Belgian publication HLN.
"He honestly cares about the people around him. I don’t know if a new challenge would be good for him." "He knows how much they love him at Chelsea. And there’s chemistry between Sarri and him."
"Eden enjoys himself at Chelsea. He has reached an exceptional level at that club."
"Then it’s uncertain if a new project would be good for him. I’m convinced that he can reinvent himself at Chelsea. Look at him now – even as a ‘9’."
Hazard admitted after Chelsea’s 2-1 win against Watford on Boxing Day – in which he scored both of their goals – that he’d rather not be played in a false 9 position.
Sarri opted for Olivier Giroud in a central position against Crystal Palace in Chelsea’s final fixture of 2018 and Alvaro Morata could return for the Blues’ clash against Southampton tomorrow.