Sarri responds to reports Hazard could join Zidane’s Real

Hazard has enjoyed a stellar season at Stamford Bridge on an individual level, contributing 13 goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions.

With Zinedine Zidane completing a shock return to Real Madrid, Los Blancos president Florentino Perez has dropped a hint regarding the club's potential signing of Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe.

"Hazard and Mbappe Targeted", was the headline French sports paper L'Equipe ran on Tuesday, in a nod to a possible deal between the French coach and the capital team's leadership to try and bring in an infusion of youth to Madrid, with Belgium and Chelsea striker Eden Hazard, 28, and Mbappe.

Hazard has been linked with a switch to Real Madrid for quite some time now.

What that decision is, we don't yet know, but the fact that the brilliant Belgian has still to sign the £300,000 a week contract Chelsea offered him past year, and shows no sign of doing so soon, gives us a clue.

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Beirne comes into the team for Ulster's Iain Henderson, while there are also returns for Sean O'Brien and Rob Kearney. Beirne will be partnered in the second row by James Ryan, with Quin Roux on the bench as a replacement .

"I had many opportunities to leave and I chose to stay to make my own story and win the Champions League here".

And the other huge factor in the Hazard scenario is that unless Chelsea can get their imminent two window transfer ban frozen temporarily in the Court of Arbitration in Sport, they will not be able to sign players to replace him in the summer. I think he's got a chance to make his own story.

Speaking in a news conference ahead of Chelsea's clash with Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League round of 16, Sarri insisted he is not dwelling on the uncertainty surrounding Hazard's future but reiterated that he will respect the Belgian's decision.

"I will be very happy if he stays here, but if he goes to Madrid, good luck to him".

Chelsea FC now find themselves in sixth place in the Premier League table and three points adrift of the top four with a game in hand as the race for Champions League qualification hots up.