PUEL KNEW EDEN WAS A STAR AT 16

EDEN HAZARD’S mentor Claude Puel says he has the ability to play for any of Europe’s greatest teams. Leicester boss Puel brought a 16-year-old Hazard (left) into the first team at Lille during his spell in charge of the French club. Attacking ace Hazard went on to win two consecutive Ligue 1 player-of-the-year awards before leaving for Chelsea in 2012 in a £32million deal. Now the 27-year-old, voted PFA player of the year here in 2015, is being courted by Real Madrid after two Premier League titles. Hazard revealed to the Mirror that he plans to sign a new contract at Chelsea, and Puel said: “He is a top player in Europe. He has all the quality to play in all the great teams in Europe.”

Puel (below) says the Belgian international was outstanding even a teenager.

“He had the same quality at 16 when he started in the first team at Lille,” he said.

“Of course now he has more consistency in his game but always he was fantastic.

“The Chelsea team is built around Eden because he is the most important player. “It is not possible to stop him because he can play wide or as striker or come deep to take the ball. He can penetrate and make the difference. “Eden is a fantastic player but I wouldn’t man-mark him. If we just focus on Eden, other players can make the difference.”

Puel marked Hazard out for stardom after seeing him terrorise Club Brugge in a friendly as a 16-year-old.

“He showed the ability to dribble past six players in a short space and to deliver an assist or goal,” he said.