Eden Hazard has made a decision about his future and also revealed that he told Chelsea two weeks ago of his plans, with the Belgian saying he expects everything to be cleared up after the Europa League final against Arsenal in Baku at the end of the month.
Although Hazard stopped short of saying where he will be playing his club football next season, everything points to the 28-year-old moving to Real Madrid for a fee expected to be in excess of £100m.
The Spanish club have been pursuing Hazard for some time and there would be no reason for the player to hold back from making an announcement if he was extending his stay at Stamford Bridge. “I have made my decision but it is not just about me,” Hazard said.
Hazard’s future has turned into something of a saga, prompting him to admit he would have liked everything to have been cleared up much earlier in the season. “Yes, I wanted that but that’s not happened,” Hazard said. “I’m still waiting like you are waiting and like the fans are waiting.”
Speaking after this stalemate against Leicester, when he came on as a second-half substitute to huge cheers from the travelling supporters, Hazard went on to admit that Chelsea securing a top-four finish – they pipped Tottenham Hotspur to third spot – would not make any difference to his thinking. Asked whether he has told the club of his decision, Hazard said: “Yes. A couple of weeks ago.”
Although Hazard has known for some time what his next move will be, he insisted his mind has not strayed from continuing to give everything for Chelsea.
“Never, never. When you are on the pitch, you try to be focused on the pitch with the ball. That’s it. When I am on the pitch I just try to do the best. I am not thinking about this and this, my situation or the club’s situation. I just try to win games.”
Maurizio Sarri, the Chelsea manager, claimed to be in the dark when asked whether Hazard had made his last Premier League appearance. “I don’t know. I know very well that Eden tried to do his best for seven seasons at Chelsea. He did very well, he has become one of the best two or three players in the world, but I think also that we have to respect him and his decision.
“I hope, of course, like every fan of Chelsea, that he will remain with us. But at the moment I don’t know.”
The Chelsea manager’s own future is also far from certain, with the Italian admitting he is “not sure” whether he will be in charge next season. From his own perspective, he is keen to stay and believes he has achieved everything that had been asked of him, by bringing Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge next season.
“The season was really very difficult for us but I think at the end we are happy, because we were in trouble three months ago,” Sarri said. “We were able to react very well. At the end we are in the third position and we reached the target of the club – the Champions League – and we played a final against Man City in the League Cup. Now we have to play a very important match, the final in the Europa League. So at the moment the season is very good but the season can become wonderful.”
Sarri was pressed on whether he will be back for a second season at Chelsea. “I think but I am not sure,” he replied. “I don’t know. I can say only that the club asked me to get into the Champions League, and we reached the target. As you know very well, I love English football.
“I love the Premier League, the level is really the best in the world. I like very much to stay here.”
Chelsea could have signed off their domestic season with a victory but Gonzalo Higuaín squandered a gilt-edged chance on the stroke of half-time, when the Argentinian got in such a tangle when trying to convert Marcos Alonso’s inviting cross that he ended up blocking his own shot as his right foot got in the way of his left.
As for Leicester, this was an occasion for their supporters to say some fond farewells as much as anything. Shinji Okazaki and Danny Simpson, two members of Leicester’s title-winning squad, received standing ovations when they came on as second-half substitutes, with this being their final appearance for the club.
“They leave here as champions,” Brendan Rodgers, the Leicester manager, said. “Both guys, their contribution will never be forgotten and we wish them well for the next stage of their careers.”
