Eden Hazard reveals when he will leave Chelsea and why he didn’t quit in the summer
Re-born midfielder reveals why the Blues feel they are on the verge of achieving 'something special' under Antonio Conte
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EDEN HAZARD has revealed why he was never going to leave Chelsea in the summer.
After a poor 2015/16, when Chelsea failed miserably to defend the Premier League title, there was plenty of talk that the Belgian midfielder might go.
Principally, it was suggested that Real Madrid were plotting a swap deal involving himself and striker Alvaro Morata.
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But Hazard, back to his best under new boss Antonio Conte, insisted: "Back in March I’d spoken [to Conte] about the difficult season I’d had up to then...
"I made clear I had no intention of leaving after such a poor year. I didn’t want to go out like that. If I ever leave, it’ll be after winning a championship.
"You need to go out on a high so that people remember you for the right reasons."
Now, after all the problems of last year that including the exit of boss Jose Mourinho, Hazard can scarcely believe how things have improved under former Italy head coach Conte.
The Premier League's Player of the Month, told The Guardian: “If someone had told us before the season that, if we did everything Conte asked of us, we’d have a chance to become champions again, we’d all have signed up.
“We have bought into it. This is what he wants from us and believes we need to do to achieve something special.
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Chelsea got to Middlesbrough on Sunday seeking a ninth league win of the campaign with Hazard a vastly changed player from last season - thanks in the main to Conte.
Hazard has helped the Blues become title contenders again with seven goals.
He added: "I’d not scored many goals, but he [Conte] saw me as a goalscorer. He spoke to me about his preferred systems, the 3-4-3 or even with two up front. His passion and enthusiasm for the job were obvious.
“Up to now, under him, we’re being rewarded for the work we’re putting in."