Eden Hazard can win Ballon d'Or at Chelsea, insists Maurizio Sarri, as fan pays £7k for banner urging him to stay

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Maurizio Sarri has cranked up the Chelsea charm offensive aimed at keeping Eden Hazard at the club by insisting the Belgian can win everything by staying at Stamford Bridge.

And one Chelsea supporter has played his part by paying £7,000 to try to help the club convince Hazard to sign a new contract.

The fan, who wants to remain anonymous, has personally funded a 100x50ft banner, which reads ‘Eden Hazard we want you to stay’ and will be displayed during Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off against Manchester United.

Chelsea fanzine cfcuk was approached by the fan, who supplied the image of Hazard’s knee-slide celebration and the wording he wanted to be used, to organise the making of the banner that will be displayed in the Lower Matthew Harding Stand.

Hazard is waiting to see whether or not Real Madrid promise to make a big push to sign him next summer, before deciding whether or not to re-sign with Chelsea. He last week claimed that a move to Spain may help his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, despite going into the United game on the back of eight goals in his last eight Blues appearances.

But head coach Sarri said: “It will be important for us if he remains with us. Very, very important. But I think also that he can win everything, possibly a Ballon d’Or, here. Without playing in Spain. Because, for example, Chelsea will be able to win the Champions League. Belgium could win the European Championship. He could win everything, without playing in Spain.”

Asked whether he had personally told Hazard, who has 18 months remaining on his deal, that he could win the Ballon d’Or at Chelsea, Sarri replied: “Not at the moment, because I have seen him for the first time in the last two weeks only yesterday. But I want to tell it to him very soon.”

Another player Chelsea may face a battle to keep is Andreas Christensen, who will ask to leave Chelsea if he is not playing by Christmas, according to the central defender’s father and agent Sten.

Danish international Christensen has only played three times for Chelsea this season and is yet to make a single appearance in the Premier League.

In an interview with Danish television, Christensen’s father and agent Sten said: “If his situation doesn’t change around Christmas, we’ll obviously schedule a chat with Chelsea and say, ‘okay, what can we do for Andreas? Can we move him?