Chelsea news: Melchiot warns other players will leave if Eden Hazard joins Real Madrid

That is the warning from ex-Chelsea man Mario Melchiot today.

Chelsea were thumped 6-0 by Manchester City on Sunday and slipped out of the top four.

Hazard has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for more than a year now and admits he has already made up his mind on where his future lies.

Chelsea are thought to have appeased Hazard in the summer by getting rid of manager Antonio Conte and drafting in Maurizio Sarri.

But things have not gone to plan at Stamford Bridge and Sarri is in danger of being sacked.

Chelsea know Hazard’s contract expires in the summer of 2020, meaning they may sell him at the end of this season rather than losing him for nothing 12 months down the line.

But Melchiot reckons Hazard leaving would set an expectation for other players to follow.

“They have to keep him,” he told talkSPORT.

“If you let him go it sends the sign to everyone else who comes to this club.

“But he’s more out than in. I look at the team. Who else is going to be the star?

“Yesterday, the only danger was coming from him.

“And who was waiting for him? Fernandinho.”

Chelsea will likely demand around £150million for Hazard in the summer, should the Belgian not sign the £300,000-a-week contract currently on the table.

But Real Madrid reckon they can snap up the 26-year-old for a cut-price fee of around £100m.

And whether or not Chelsea can refuse that sort of money remains to be seen.

The purse strings in west London have already been tightened due to Financial Fair Play regulations.

Despite owner Roman Abramovich’s billions and their £113m in player sales, the club only made £62m in profit last year.

As for Sunday’s defat at Manchester City, former Liverpool star Graeme Souness was far from impressed.

“They were ruthless, devastating and clinical. City were fabulous,” he said.

“I don’t know how to describe it but I watched the first five minutes and I thought Chelsea would have a real go.

“Some of the goals were avoidable but I was gobsmacked at the end with the way Chelsea seemed to give up. That’s an accusation they will have to deal with from more than me.

“City have put a marker down today that Liverpool have to win every game from hereon in.”

source: express.co.uk