Chelsea plan fresh Hazard talks
Hopes grow for new deal amid Real Madrid crisis Captaincy may be offered as added incentive to stay
Chelsea are keen to take advantage of the uncertainty at Real Madrid by attempting to reopen contract talks with Eden Hazard. And the Belgian could yet be given the captaincy if he stays at the club after head coach Maurizio Sarri put off making a change this season.
Hazard is waiting to see if Real will make a push to sign him next season before deciding whether to agree an extension to a Chelsea contract that has just over 18 months to run.
But Real are busy trying to sort out their managerial situation after sacking Julen Lopetegui. A move to appoint former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has stalled, while Real would have to wait until the end of the season to stand a chance of luring Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino or Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho. Hazard’s Belgium manager, Roberto Martinez, has been linked with the post, although the Belgian FA says it has received no approach from Real.
Chelsea are monitoring the situation as they realise it may impact on Hazard’s future, but they also hope the uncertainty could give them a chance to reopen negotiations. The 27-year-old’s advisers have recently visited London and the player could command close to £400,000 a week at Stamford Bridge.
It is unlikely Hazard, who has recovered from a back injury and is fit to return to the squad for tomorrow’s visit of Crystal Palace, will make any decision on his future until the new year.
Chelsea have considered offering Hazard the captaincy as part of their bid to keep him, but Sarri yesterday confirmed there will be no change this season. Despite the fact that Cesar Azpilicueta has led the team for much of this season, the Spaniard has not been given the armband permanently.
By sticking with Gary Cahill as club captain while the defender’s contract runs down towards the end of the season, and with Azpilicueta as his deputy, Sarri has left open the option of Hazard taking the armband when Cahill departs.
“The captain is Cahill,” said Sarri. “When he isn’t on the pitch, our captain is Azpilicueta.”
Asked why it had taken him three months to confirm Cahill will keep the captaincy and whether or not he had considered any alternative candidates such as Hazard, Sarri added: “Cahill was the captain last season. I spoke with his team-mates and they all told me he really was a very good captain.”
Cahill had suggested he could leave Chelsea in January, but has since been used more in the Carabao Cup and Europa League by Sarri.
“It depends on him,” said Sarri. “He played very often in the last seven or eight matches. I don’t know. It depends on him and also the club. For me, Cahill is very important on the pitch and out of the pitch.”