Chelsea face fight to keep Hazard & Courtois as Real Madrid, Man City & PSG circle

Nizaar Kinsella

Chelsea face fight to keep Hazard & Courtois as Real Madrid, Man City & PSG circle image

Champions League football will not be a decisive factor in Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois staying at Chelsea next season.

Though both Belgium internationals will undoubtedly be agitated by the prospect of missing out on Europe's elite club competition, neither player has it as a stipulation as part of talks over a new contract.

It will be more important for the Blues to convince both players of the club's ambition and direction after a disappointing season in west London, which will likely see them finish outside the top four for the second time in three seasons. 

A lack of Champions League football could further impact Chelsea's ability to compete with other clubs on wage demands as they will miss out on at least £30 million earned through participation in the competition.

However, Hazard and Courtois could be swayed by ambitious plans if the club can convincingly demonstrate how they are going to be able to qualify for the competition with regularity in the future.

Those talks will involve discussions with the management team and include assurances that the club are committed to closing the gap on Manchester City.

On Courtois' part, the goalkeeper's contract until 2019 means that this summer is the last time Chelsea could opt to sell him as they risk losing the 25-year-old on a free the following year.

Hazard's contract, meanwhile, expires in 2020, but Chelsea see the attacker as a figurehead at the club and are keen to give him another pay rise, despite him already being the club's highest-paid player. 

The Belgium captain is very settled in London, with his family enjoying life around England's capital. However, Courtois has openly spoken about moving to Madrid to be closer to his young family, which he started while on loan at Atletico Madrid

Courtois has said that he is happy to see out his contract until 2019 but that may not be an option for Chelsea, who could opt to cash in on his sale in the event that they cannot agree a new contract.

Both players have garnered interest from Real Madrid, while Manchester City are also monitoring Hazard's situation. Courtois has further interest from Paris Saint-Germain, but his desire to play in Madrid might be a problem for the French club. 

Madrid have shortlists for other players in both of Hazard's and Courtois' positions - and they have not yet made any bids for either player.

Nizaar Kinsella

Nizaar Kinsella Photo

Nizaar Kinsella is a Chelsea correspondent with experience covering international football at the World Cup and European Championships. He is a trusted voice within the Chelsea community, attending almost every game and having spent many years doing so. Coverage on Goal.com has seen him invited onto CNN, BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport and BeINSports to comment on the turbulent world of the Stamford Bridge club. He previously worked for the Daily Mirror and BBC Radio Manchester, as well as a period working in the UK charity sector.