Sarri delays talking Hazard and Courtois into staying

New Chelsea manager wants ‘face-to-face’ talks Italian hopes ‘fun’ style will win over key duo

Maurizio Sarri intends to delay crunch talks with Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois until just days before both the Premier League season starts and the transfer window closes so that he can personally sell them his Chelsea vision.

Belgium’s progress to the World Cup semi-finals means that two of his star players will not report back from their three-week holiday until Aug 6, but Sarri suspects that meaningful discussions can only be held by “looking them in the eyes”.

Chelsea begin their league season against Huddersfield on Aug 11, while the transfer window for signing any potential replacements closes on Aug 9.

Both Courtois, who is out of contract next year, and Hazard, whose deal runs until 2020, have suggested that they could leave and will be acutely aware of the widely reported interest from Real Madrid.

Sarri was unveiled yesterday (right) by Chelsea following their 13th managerial change since 2004 and, in regularly using the word “fun” to outline his style, clearly also hopes the experience of training with him could help the situation. Asked if he would speak with Hazard and Courtois before they returned from holiday, Sarri said: “I don’t think so. The players you refer to are very high-level players. I would like to keep them in my squad. But telephone calls without looking them in the eyes would not give them any certainty. I want to meet them face to face, talk to them and understand what the best thing will be to do for everyone. I would also like a player to come with me on the pitch for four or five days. “I am more a pitch manager than a general manager. I am one of the few managers who is bored by the transfer market. Our task is growing the players that we have.” Of Hazard specifically, who has been offered a £300,000-a-week contract, Sarri said: “He is one of the top two or three European players. I would like to have fun in matches. I would obviously like to have fun during the week together with him. The child in each of us must be nurtured – that often makes us the best.” Sarri has also told Chelsea he would still like to improve his central-midfield options. “I think a pinch of quality is lacking for a certain kind of play,” he said. With chairman Bruce Buck and director Marina Granovskaia seated in the front row, Sarri’s first press conference was largely conducted in Italian and he was forced to clarify an answer in which he appeared to suggest enjoyment came before winning. sult in a first trophy of a managerial career that peaked in Serie A with how Napoli challenged Juventus.

“It will take time to build a different way,” he said, before likening his philosophy to Pep Guardiola rather than Jose Mourinho and pointing out that even the “genius” Manchester City manager had difficulties in his first year in England.

Sarri also claimed not to have begun talks with Chelsea about replacing Antonio Conte until late last week – saying that he was “heartbroken” to leave Napoli – and was vague in explaining whether the club’s owner Roman Abramovich was personally involved.

“There are preparation difficulties and I will have to solve it together with my staff,” he said. “Our owner is an extremely reserved person, I don’t want to start a working relationship with him by speaking about private things.”

A big factor in Sarri’s desire to conduct this first press conference in Italian was the certain knowledge that he would be asked about the accusation from Roberto Mancini of a homophobic comment and being racist following a furious touchline row in 2016. Sarri was also questioned about remarks towards a female journalist, whom he said he would not tell to f--- off because she was a beautiful woman.

“People make mistakes; one of these mistakes was made when I was angry,” he said. “Another was not even a mistake; it was a journalist with whom I shared jokes for three years. It was misconstrued. I think those who know me well cannot define me in this way. Homophobia, sexism, racism – absolutely not. I hope you will have the chance to get to know me better.”

Sarri departed for Chelsea’s preseason trip to Australia last night after finalising a back-room team that will include Gianfranco Zola as his assistant and Carlo Cudicini as a coach.