Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said he must
"respect Eden Hazard's decision" if the forward wants to leave
Stamford Bridge this summer.
Reports
on Monday suggested Real Madrid are eager to secure a £100m
deal for the 28-year-old Belgium international.
Hazard
later scored twice, including one of the goals of the Premier League season, in
a 2-0 win over West Ham.
"If
Eden wants another experience it's very difficult to keep him," Sarri told
Sky Sports.
"Eden
played a wonderful match. When he is able to play like this we are lucky
because it is easy to win.
"£100m
is too cheap in this market - we have seen in the last windows every price.
"The
club agrees with me [about wanting to keep Hazard].
"We
are trying to improve. We are trying to become one of the best teams in England
and, as a consequence, in Europe - but I think I have to respect his
decision."
Hazard's
contract expires in summer 2020 and he was asked post-match about West Ham fans
singing that he was moving to Real Madrid.
"They
are wrong. For now, I am just focusing on Chelsea until the end of the season.
We still have a lot to do and then we will see."
Speaking
to BBC Radio 5 Live, Sarri added: "I hope that it is not true. Every coach
wants to keep a player like him.
"It's
a disaster when a player like Eden decides to change team. It's very difficult
to find another player at the same level because in the world there are only
two or three players at the same level.
"We
have to try something different [if he leaves], not find another Hazard. In
this moment he is unique."
Real
manager Zinedine Zidane said last week he has "always
appreciated"Hazard, but any deal could be complicated by the
Blues having been placed under a transfer ban.
They
cannot register new players until January 2020 for breaking rules over the
signing of foreign under-18 players. Their appeal against the decision will
be heard by Fifa on 11 April.
Hazard
added: "We have won three in a row. For the mentality, it is good to keep
going. Top four and the Europa League is our target so we need to do well in
both - but we can do it."
How good was Hazard against West Ham?
His
goals mean that:
- Hazard has now scored 19 goals this season - his joint-best tally
for Chelsea (level with 2014-15).
- He has been directly involved in 11 goals in his past 10 Premier
League games at Stamford Bridge (six goals, five assists).
- He has been directly involved in more league goals than any other
player this season (16 goals, 12 assists).
- He has now scored more Premier League goals (85) than former
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo (84).
And
within the first half-hour of Monday's game at Stamford Bridge Hazard had:
- Been brought down by Angelo Ogbonna when racing through after
playing a sublime one-two with Gonzalo Higuain.
- Beaten five West Ham players to score a delightful solo goal.
- Played a sumptuous lofted through ball to send Higuain free, only
for the Argentine's shot to hit the woodwork.
- Been barged over in the box by Marko Arnautovic after wriggling
into space, only for referee Chris Kavanagh to wave play on.
There
was plenty more brilliance in the second half, including the perfect first
touch and composed finish in the 90th minute to make sure of a win which took
Chelsea up to third in the Premier League, above Tottenham and Arsenal.
It
was a performance to whet the appetite of any suitors...
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