Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho appeared to endorse a potential move to Real Madrid for Eden Hazard after saying the Belgian forward has both the "talent" and "personality" to succeed at the Spanish giants.
Hazard, 28, has made public comments about his "dream" of playing for Madrid, which began after helping Belgium to third place at the World Cup last summer in Russia.
With Hazard's contract set to expire in June 2020, it could be decision time for Chelsea and the player at the end of the season. Should Hazard refuse to commit his future to the Premier League club, they are likely to entertain bids in an attempt to earn a transfer fee instead of losing him on a free transfer the following year.
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said last month that Hazard was free to leave the if he had his heart set on a move.
Now former manager Mourinho, who worked with Hazard for two-and-a-half seasons during his second spell in charge and who also spent three years at Madrid, believes the Belgian would thrive at the Bernabeu.
"Does he have the talent to play for Real Madrid? He does," Mourinho told sports streaming service DAZN Espana. "Does he have the personality to put on a 'super-heavy' shirt and play in front of the fans at the Bernabeu? Yes, he has the personality.
"Regarding Eden's ambitions ... be it playing for Chelsea his whole life or playing for a giant like Real Madrid, I can't say, because I haven't spoken to him for a long time."
Hazard was on the losing side of the League Cup final on Sunday when Chelsea fell to a penalty shootout defeat to defending champions Manchester City. The London club, sixth in the Premier League table and three points fourth-place Arsenal with a game in hand, resume their fight for the top-four on Wednesday when they host rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Mourinho, who has been working as a television pundit since being sacked as Manchester United manager in December, also said he wanted to return to football management before the start of next season.
"In this short phase of my life, which I hope is only until June, I'm more concerned about what others would do than what I would do," he said.
