Maurizio Sarri warned about keeping Chelsea FC’s key star happy

Chelsea FC star Eden Hazard Photo: Nike

Maurizio Sarri must do everything possible to keep Eden Hazard happy at Chelsea FC, Stuart Pearce has warned.

The Blues forward has made a scintillating start to the current Premier League campaign to help Chelsea FC launch a surprise title challenge.

Hazard netted his seventh goal of the Premier League season in a 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s last weekend before the international break.

The 27-year-old has scored seven times in eight games in the Premier League to sit at the top of the goal-scoring charts ahead of Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero.

The Belgian forward has been a key player for Chelsea FC over the past eight seasons at the west London side following a move from Ligue 1 side Lille in 2012.

Indeed, Hazard has won two Premier League titles, the Europa League, two League Cups and the FA Cup during his spell at Stamford Bridge.

Real Madrid have been linked with a move to sign Hazard over the past seasons but a deal has failed to materialise despite interest from los Blancos.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo’s switch to Juventus means that Real Madrid have a void to fill up front.

But former Manchester City defender Pearce offered Chelsea FC some advice on how to retain their star man’s services.

“There’s a tick list I’ve got down – money, trophies, family happiness, the player’s desire to leave,” Pearce told Sky Sports, as quoted by the Daily Express.

“He might have it in his head, ‘At the end of my career will I sit back and regret never going to play wherever it may be?’ Wherever he wants to go and be.  

“For me it’s down to the man management skills of Sarri now to make sure he is the happiest player there. 

“Because if he walks out of Chelsea’s dressing room it blows Chelsea out of the water for this immediate moment of time in their history.

“He is the one player, he is the key player to Chelsea. If Manchester City come knocking and say ‘We want him’, what would that do to Chelsea’s mentality, what would that do to Manchester City? 

“We’re talking about him going to Real Madrid, but what if Manchester City or Liverpool came knocking? What would happen then if they financially could match a buy-out clause in his contract?” 

Hazard has less than 24 months to run on his current deal with the west London side to raise questions about his future.

The Belgian star could leave for nothing at the end of the 2019-20 season, which would be a disastrous situation given Hazard’s importance to Chelsea FC.

His compatriot Thibaut Courtois moved to Real Madrid in a cut price £31m deal in the summer after four seasons as Chelsea FC’s number one Stamford Bridge.

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