Maurizio Sarri: 'Eden Hazard free to leave Chelsea if he wants'

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has told Eden Hazard that he is free to leave the club at the end of the season if that is what he wants.

The Belgium international's Stamford Bridge future remains a hot topic of discussion as he admitted last year that he "dreams" of playing for Real Madrid.

Hazard has spent seven seasons with Chelsea and remains the club's star attacking talent, boasting 10 goals and 10 assists this term - three goal involvements short of his most productive Premier League campaign to date.

While Sarri would like to see the Blues keep hold of academy product Callum Hudson-Odoi for the long term, the Italian says that a decision over Hazard's future should be down to the player himself.

"The situation of Eden [compared to Hudson-Odoi] is different," he told reporters. "Eden is 28. If he wants to go, I think he has to go.

"Of course, I hope the opposite. I hope he wants to stay here. He has the potential to be the best player in Europe at the moment.

"Sometimes he's happy with something less. It's my job to improve him and put him in a position to do his best."

Speaking last week, Hazard again hinted that he will consider a move to Madrid in the summer if an approach is made.