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Chelsea transfer news: Eden Hazard dismisses talk of Real Madrid switch - for now

Hazard had hinted throughout the summer that he was considering leaving Chelsea

Sunday 19 August 2018 14:26 BST

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Chelsea 2018/19 Premier League profile

Eden Hazard is sitting tight at Chelsea and will not agitate for a move to Real Madrid.

The 27-year-old has begun his seventh season at Chelsea, whom he joined from Lille in June 2012, after a summer of speculation over his future.

"For the moment, I am happy," Hazard told RMC Sport. "I have two more years of contract and we will see what will happen.

Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

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1/22Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Kepa Arrizabalaga - 6

Could perhaps have been able to do more to stop Mkhitaryan’s strike in the first half. The ball was hit hard and low, he got a hand to it, but it still went in. A stronger arm may have kept that one out.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Cesar Azpilicueta - 5

Absent for the first half and rarely got forward. Arsenal had a lot of joy on both wings and were able to get to the left byline far too easily. To say he’s struggling to play in a back four would not be an understatement.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

David Luiz - 6

Started a lot of forward moves by attacking the space in front of him and getting Chelsea playing from the back. His defending, like Chelsea’s, was a little ropey.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Antonio Rudiger - 5

Chelsea defended really poorly as a team, and Rudgier was no exception to this.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Marcos Alonso - 7

Showed good awareness to pick out Pedro for Chelsea’s opening goal. Like Azpilicueta, he looks like he is continuing to adapt to playing in a back four, and while his attacking play is very good, he does look a little exposed. Showed composure to score the winner.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Jorginho - 8

Justifying his lofty price tag. He dominated the game from midfield and did so without really breaking a sweat. His range of passing was so precise and varied. Arsenal left lots of gaps in their defence and he found all of them.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Ross Barkley - 6

Was lively and popped up in some good areas for Chelsea. Sarri has a lot of faith in the English midfielder, and Barkley almost repaid him with a goal from range but Cech was equal to his effort.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

N'Golo Kante - 7

Another typical Kante performance, he was everywhere. Sarri seems to be giving him more attacking responsibility, that’s increasing Chelsea’s options in the final third and helping them win the ball high up the pitch.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Willian - 7

Is continuing to produce some really good stuff under Sarri, now he’s sorted himself out at Chelsea. His movement had his markers chasing shadows all evening.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Pedro - 7

Like Willian, he was very tough to track for the Arsenal defenders, although he often left his defenders a little exposed, but who didn’t?

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Alvaro Morata - 7

Scored his second league goal of 2018 and you could tell how much it meant to him by his celebration. He ran at Mustafi one-on-one, worked the ball onto his right foot and slotted a finish into the bottom corner.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Petr Cech - 6

Made a handful of good saves to keep out Chelsea’s shots from range. There was precious little he could do about any of the Chelsea goals, and was better with his feet than last week.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Hector Bellerin - 4

Made a hilarious attempt to defend. Was exposed by Alonso, Pedro, Hazard, and anyone who wanted to get past him really. His forward play, however, was very good and he got into some very dangerous areas.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Sokratis Papastathopoulos - 6

Made some vital block and interceptions, but he cannot score highly and be part of this Arsenal defence. That’s not happening.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Shkodran Mustafi - 5

Continues to make you wonder how he’s managed to play at the top level for so long. Let Morata cut onto his right foot in the area, which resulted in his goal. Arsenal generally were a mess at the back and he has to take responsibility.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Nacho Monreal - 6

Got into some really dangerous areas and created some very promising chances for Arsenal. His defending, however, was about as committed as Ozil’s tracking back.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Granit Xhaka - 4

Picked up a yellow card in the first half and came off at half-time. Chelsea’s attacks passed him by and he didn’t have much of a say when Arsenal were in possession.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Matteo Guendouzi - 5

Unai Emery has certainly shown a lot of faith in the youngster, but you feel there are better options. He was dispossessed a couple of times in dangerous areas, but continued to show adventure going forward.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Henrikh Mkhitaryan - 7

Minutes after missing a sitter he took his goal very well. He started Arsenal’s first half comeback with a sweet low, curling effort from the edge of the area.

AFP/Getty Images

Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Mesut Ozil - 5

One of Ozil’s ‘missing’ games. He came off after 70 minutes of not really doing an awful lot at Stamford Bridge. He played almost as a second striker, but no matter how hard he tried, there was no space for him in the final third.

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Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Alex Iwobi - 7

Took his goal very well, but that was the extent of his good work. A lot of his play ended with a wayward pass, a tackle or a shot going wide.

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Chelsea vs Arsenal Player Ratings 18-08-2018

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 4

Missed two sitters, and we’re talking proper sitters, in front of goal. If he scored them, we could well be talking about an Arsenal win. The timing of his runs was also off, he was caught offside more times than he needed to be. Can do better.

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"Leave this year? I will not leave. I'm fine here, we'll see what happens in a year or two."

Hazard has two years to run on the five-year contract he signed in February 2015 and has been pondering an extension.

Prior to May's FA Cup final, with Chelsea's absence from this season's Champions League confirmed by their fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, Hazard said the delay was because he was "waiting for good players".

He went on to win a first FA Cup, adding to two Premier League titles, one League Cup and one Europa League title.

Then, after helping Belgium to third place at the World Cup with victory over England, Hazard added to the speculation by hinting of his desire to leave Stamford Bridge.

He said then: "After six wonderful years at Chelsea it might be time to discover something different. You all know my preferred destination."

After playing a starring substitute role in Saturday's 3-2 win over Arsenal, Hazard admitted Chelsea would not let him leave, despite the Spanish transfer window remaining open until the end of this month.

The closure of the English transfer window on August 9 means Chelsea now cannot sign any players until January.

Hazard added: "Everybody knows what I said after the World Cup. But I'm happy here. I do not want to talk about it yet.

"A lot of things have been said, nonsense and everything.

"The transfer window in England is over. Clubs cannot sign players. It would be a little odd if they (Chelsea) sell me now while they can't recruit a replacement.

"We could still see (on Saturday) that the fans love me."

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