Premier League legend Alan Shearer has admitted that he understands why Chelsea’s star attacker Eden Hazard is yet to commit himself to staying at the Stamford Bridge club.
Despite the Blues winning the FA Cup at the weekend, it has been a tumultuous season for the London club both on and off the pitch, and their manager Antonio Conte is still widely expected to depart in the coming days.
Hazard is said to be stalling on signing a new mega money deal with Chelsea amid interest from long term admirers Real Madrid, and Shearer believes the uncertainty surrounding the Stamford Bridge club is a big factor in this.
“I can understand why Hazard is not committing to anything at the moment, because he wants to know what is going on with Chelsea’s manager situation first.” Shearer wrote in his BBC column:
“It looks increasingly likely that Conte will not be in charge of the Blues next season – but, whether he stays or goes, they need to sort it out quickly.
“If there is going to be a new manager, he can come in and plan – not only for which players are coming in, but also who might be leaving – including Hazard.
“So, it is a crucial time for Chelsea, and not an easy one.
“If they want to keep Hazard, they will probably need a manager he wants to play for and they will have to attract him – and any potential signings – without the carrot of Champions League football.
“In terms of new players, Chelsea have to do better than last summer when they did not get their recruitment right.”