Cesc Fabregas: Chelsea must keep 'best player' Eden Hazard as Real Madrid plot bid

Cesc Fabregas admits he has spoken with his Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard "often" in a bid to convince the Belgian not to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Hazard's long-term future at Chelsea has been cast into doubt after the winger recently said "it might be time to discover something different.

"I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will make the final decision - if they want to let me go.

"You all know my preferred destination."

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Standard Sport understands that Real Madrid will table an opening offer of £111.8m for Hazard, but Fabregas says the Chelsea players want the club to do what they must to keep the 27-year-old at Stamford Bridge.

"I speak to him often," Fabregas told reporters at a press conference in Perth, where Chelsea will play their first pre-season game against Perth Glory on Monday.

"He is the best player at the club and we need Chelsea to keep the best players.

"He knows the fans love him and he is a player we love to play with. For sure, we want him to stay."