Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho sings Eden Hazard’s praises

Jose Mourinho has heaped praise on the “talented” Eden Hazard – but has challenged the Chelsea midfielder to move up a level next season.

The Belgium international, who joined from Lille last summer, enjoyed an impressive first season in the Premier League, netting nine top-flight goals and making 11 assists in 34 appearances for the Blues.

The 22-year-old was one of the west Londoners’ standout performers during the 2012-13 campaign as Chelsea lifted the Europa League trophy and finished third in the league.

But Mourinho is already demanding more from the playmaker as the Portuguese coach gears up for his first season back at the Stamford Bridge helm.

“Hazard has a lot of talent, as everybody knows, and now he has to move from great talent to great numbers because football is about numbers,” said Mourinho.

“He has to transform his great talent into many goals, many assists, many winning goals, many goals in big matches. I am ready to help him, and he must be ready too.”

He added: “I am not the kind of guy that makes life easy for the great players.

“If they are great they have to give more than the others, if they are great they cannot be happy with a few great things that they do.”