Conte can’t guarantee Hazard will reject Real

ANTONIO CONTE has admitted he can offer no guarantees that Eden Hazard will stay at Chelsea, saying the ‘will of the player’ could be a vital factor in whether he joins Real Madrid. Chelsea will fight hard this summer to keep the forward, who revealed this week that talks over improving his contract will not start until this campaign has finished. He is already the club’s top earner on £200,000 a week, with that deal due to expire in 2020, and Chelsea’s next move will be key, considering the interest from Madrid. Hazard is not pushing for a move, but Conte is braced for an approach from Real, which would likely have to be in excess of the £89million world record fee that Manchester United paid for Paul Pogba. When asked if he could guarantee Hazard will stay, Conte said: ‘It’s impossible for me to take this responsibility, not only for Eden but for every player. I can say my opinion, but the club have the final word. ‘I don’t think that this idea is in the mind of the club. But in football there is also the will of the player. I think Eden is very happy to stay at Chelsea and work with us. I can tell this. But I haven’t got a crystal ball.’ Conte, meanwhile, has called on the Premier League to rejig their fixtures, claiming it is unfair that Spurs and Chelsea play at different times during the run-in. Both clubs have five games left but will play only once at the same time — on the final day.