Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink has told Eden Hazard to concentrate on his football rather than entertain rumours linking him with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Hazard, 24, made an untimely confession that it would be hard to turn down a move to the Ligue 1 champions on the eve of Chelsea’s Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash with PSG on Tuesday night.
The Belgium international raised fears when it was suggested he would seek a move away from Chelsea earlier in the season, with PSG one of those likely to interested in Hazard’s services.
However, Chelsea boss Hiddink has warned Hazard there are bigger things in football than a move to PSG.
“Well, he [Hazard] has a contract that he extended but first he must get fit and show he is a top player and then for Chelsea, which is a top club, he can be of huge value,” Hiddink is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
“In the near future there will be more speculation about who is coming here or who is going but I don’t go into that.
“PSG have big targets to win the Champions League and, step by step, they have gathered a reputation and are very serious about becoming one of the biggest teams in Europe, so this challenge, I can understand.
“But it is a different league. France is not a bad league but this team are now ahead [of second-placed Monaco] by 24 points. For me, I think big, big players always like to be in the biggest league, which is the Premier League, La Liga and also the Bundesliga.”
Hazard, who was voted PFA Player of the Year last season, has endured a troubled campaign this time around and is still without a league goal since May (vs Crystal Palace).
In fact, at this stage last season Hazard has contributed 14 league goals compared to only two this time around.
For more stats on Eden Hazard, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
