Why Chelsea Must Resist Any Summer Transfer Bids for Eden Hazard

Here's the thing with transfers—they're not always about money.

They can represent so much more; they can tell us about a club's desire to succeed and what their status is in world football.

Real Madrid rarely sell players at their peak. Neither do Barcelona. The majority of Europe's football clubs do, however.

In the past couple of seasons, we've seen Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale move from the Premier League to La Liga, lured by the prospect of playing for Spain's two biggest clubs.

Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund have lost Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich, and AC Milan have seen Thiago Silva depart for Paris Saint-Germain.

For Bale and Suarez, it was their desire to wear a Real or Barca shirt. For the clubs, it was a simple matter of being unable to refuse the transfer fees dangled before them.

In some ways, they took the easy way out. Rather than fight to retain their star players, the clubs opted for a game of cat and mouse to hike up the transfer fees.

Zinedine Zidane has the look of a Real Madrid manager in waiting, according to most, so his recent comments about Eden Hazard caused a stir within the media.

"I like everything he does on the field," Zidane said of Chelsea's No. 10, per the Mirror. "I like his behaviour, his decisiveness and love to see his progress every year."

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Were the European champions starting the process of making a move to sign him?

"[Hazard would cost] £100 million each leg—he's very young," was the response from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as he attempted to pour cold water on it all.

It's not that long ago since the Belgian signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract at Chelsea, but that hasn't stopped the rumours of Madrid's interest.

In typical fashion, it's probably made Florentino Perez even more determined to capture his man. After all, the Real president loves nothing more than a pet project.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Even for the £200 million Mourinho suggests it would cost, it would be folly for Chelsea to even contemplate Hazard leaving. This summer, next or even in 2017—he needs to remain a Chelsea player.

Money is one thing, but it isn't everything.

What precedent would Chelsea be setting, not only for their current squad, but those they are trying to sign to make them stronger?

The message Mourinho and the Chelsea board must send this summer and for the transfer windows that will follow is that playing for the club isn't a stepping stone onto bigger and better things; when a player joins Chelsea, he's reached the pinnacle.

That's the mistake Liverpool have made with Suarez.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

We can talk about the history at Anfield, those 18 glorious league titles and five European Cups, but what does it all mean in the modern age? Nothing, especially when the club's best players are looking elsewhere to achieve their ambitions.

Liverpool are going to be playing Europa League football next season, their brief foray back into the Champions League feeling like a distant memory.

Brendan Rodgers needed to sell Suarez and his team-mates the dream, that Liverpool is the club to play for. Instead, the Reds have the look of a tired old club, one that's unable to attract the biggest names or retain them.

Before Hazard picked up the award this season, Bale and Suarez were the two previous winners of the PFA Player of the Year award. Within months of being crowned, they were in Spain taking part in those annual keep-up challenges they seem to love in Spain when another marquee signing is unveiled at the Bernabeu or Camp Nou.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Thankfully for the sake of the Premier League's status, Chelsea seem to have bucked that trend with Hazard this summer.

His new contract cements the club's position, giving them the power to dictate where he plays his football in the immediate future.

For the sake of their own, they need to resist any overtures for their talisman now that the season has reached its climax.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes