Maurizio Sarri tells Chelsea to ‘solve the problem’ of Eden Hazard’s contract extension

Hazard still has 18 months remaining on his current contract but negotiations have stalled over a new deal

Maurizio Sarri admits Chelsea have to “solve the problem” swiftly over Eden Hazard’s contract and has told his playmaker “now is the time to decide” where his future lies.

The Belgian has scored four goals in four games for the West Londoners and said after his 101st goal for the club against Watford on Boxing Day that he wanted to be a “Chelsea legend.”

Hazard still has 18 months remaining on his current Stamford Bridge deal but a new contract is on the table and Sarri knows that clarity on the talisman’s intentions is now essential.

When asked if he will stay, the Italian replied: “I don’t know but it is time to decide.

“I don’t have the power to sit down with him [and discuss a new contract]. I’m the coach, not the president and not in charge of the market. I want to speak to him only about matters on the pitch.

“I think we have to solve the problem. If we want to programme the future we need to solve this problem.”

Hazard has found his goalscoring form after being moved to a false nine role despite suggesting earlier in his Chelsea career that it was not a role that suited him.

“He is able to play as a winger or in the centre of the pitch,” said Sarri. “I’m really very happy with him in this position.

“He is very able to score and he is very able to open spaces for team-mates. I’m really very happy with him in this position. In the future he can play as a winger. He is a great player, one of the most important in Chelsea’s history. He was really confident he was able to score more.

“I don’t know if he prefers to play as a winger or striker but if he can play in the centre it is not a problem for him to be in the centre.”

Sarri was speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League tie at Crystal Palace on Sunday (PA)

Sarri has suggested that Hazard will remain in a central role even though Alvaro Morata is now free from injury.

“It depends on the moment, on this moment we need to be solid,” he said. “In this position we can be more solid. It’s a good option of the defensive phase. It depends on the moment, maybe in the future we can play a striker and Hazard together. It’s not a big problem.

“Morata now is going very well. He is fit to play. It was only a tactical choice.”

Chelsea make the trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday 11 points behind leaders Liverpool and Sarri still feels his side have no chance of a title challenge.

Callum Hudson-Odoi will miss the match at Selhurst Park after suffering a hamstring injury (Getty)

“You know very well my opinion,” he said. “As I said from the beginning of the season. Liverpool and Manchester City are the contenders. I think City will be able to close the gap. The title is fighting between City and Liverpool.

“Palace is a very difficult match because in the last three matches at home they were able not to concede a goal to the opponents. Then they are really very dangerous in the counter attacks. We have to play well against a very dangerous team.”

Pedro will be out for the next days after picking up a hamstring injury while Callum Hudson-Odoi is also expected to be missing.

Meanwhile Sarri admits his native Italy has a problem with racism after Inter Milan were ordered to play two games behind closed doors after Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was racially abused.

“You know that in Italy there are some problems in football especially for Naples I think,” he said. “We stopped, when i was there, two matches. I’m really very sorry for Kaidou as he is a wonderful man, but I think in Italy we can do something more for this problem.”