Eden Hazard opens up about Chelsea future as PSG chase Belgian forward
After months of speculation, Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has come out and said that he has no plans of leaving the club just yet. He also ruled out a move to Ligue 1’s cash-rich champions Paris Saint-Germain.
The Belgium international had arguably the worst season of his senior career in the 2015/16 season. The PFA Players' Player of the Year in the previous season after scoring 14 goals in the league to help the Blues win the Premier League title, Hazard only scored four league goals this season – his first coming only in April.
His alarming dip in form and the poor performances of the rest of the squad saw Chelsea slide down the table, eventually leading to the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December. Although interim boss Guus Hiddink managed to steady the ship with an undefeated run of games, it was too late for the London side to salvage their season as they missed out on qualifying for the Champions League.
PSG have been reportedly trying to pry the 25-year-old away from the Premier League and bring him to the Parc des Princes. Hazard is no stranger to Ligue 1 having spent his formative years at Lille, even winning a league title before sealing a move to Chelsea in 2012.
However, Hazard is now looking forward to next season at Stamford Bridge under the guidance of new boss Antonio Conte and has no plans of moving clubs any time soon.
“PSG are not part of my plans,” Hazard told TeleFoot. “I have a contract until 2020, I feel good here and I don’t want to finish on a season like that.
“I left Lille as a boss, and I'd like to leave Chelsea as a boss – if I do leave one day. But for the time being, I’m here, of course.”
Poor performance in 2015/16 was meant to happen: Hazard
When questioned about his performances last season, Hazard admitted that he was disappointed and that it was a difficult pill to swallow.
“Everything was complicated. It was difficult,” Hazard explained.
“Honestly, for five or six years I’d always been at my best and this was the first season where it was more difficult.”
Indeed, Hazard had scored 49 goals in his first three seasons with the Blues – averaging more than 16 goals a season. However, he finished the season with just six goals in all competitions.
“But everyone knows that in a career there are highs and lows,” he continued. “For the time being, touch wood, I've only experienced the highs – except for this season. It wasn't quite as good.
“But it was meant to happen this season. I hope it doesn't happen again next season.”