Eden Hazard Prefers Wing Role, Will Make Decision on Chelsea Future in Summer

Chelsea talisman Eden Hazard says he prefers being a winger despite Maurizio Sarri's experiment trying him out as a striker, with the Belgian adding he'll make a decision on his future at the end of this season. 

Blues boss Sarri has recently fielded Hazard as a false nine, as predecessor Antonio Conte did last season. The tactician transformed his star's countryman Dries Mertens into a centre-forward under similar circumstances at Napoli, but Hazard doubts whether he could be as prolific, per ESPN FC's Liam Twomey:

"Dries is more of a striker than me. I am more like a playmaker. Since I started [playing] football I like to come and touch the ball. Dries is not like this, he just wants to stay in the box. That's why he scores a lot of goals.

"We are different, but I know Sarri likes to change some positions and that happens sometimes."

Hazard, 27, played his fourth consecutive Premier League match as a false nine on Wednesday and scored a match-winning brace at Vicarage Road as Chelsea beat Watford 2-1. Even when winger Pedro was injured just before half-time, it was youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi who was brought on—not natural striker Olivier Giroud.

That signalled Sarri's intent to persevere with Hazard as a more central attacker. However, when asked if he expected to score more goals as a striker, Hazard sounded steadfast in where he felt he belonged: "Yes, for sure. But I will score more goals also if I play as a winger...my position is winger."

The rumoured Real Madrid target has a contract that's due to expire in June 2020, and he said he'll make a decision at the end of this season, per Sky Sports. Kristof Terreur reported nothing is concrete yet:

How the player is used until then could help Hazard decide if he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge or pursue a move to Madrid, just as compatriot and former Chelsea team-mate Thibaut Courtois did this past summer.

Hazard gave Chelsea fans a recent boost, however, when he told reporters he wanted to "try to be a legend like [Frank] Lampard, [John] Terry and [Didier] Drogba."

The former Lille starlet has scored 10 goals in the Premier League this season—only three players have scored more—but BT Sport recently highlighted his status atop the assist charts:

Sarri is reportedly looking at other ways to address his striker concerns. The Telegraph's Matt Law wrote Chelsea are attempting to take Gonzalo Higuain—on loan at AC Milan from Juventus—in January with misfiring Alvaro Morata heading to the San Siro in his place.

While a return of three goals in his four games as a false nine this term is impressive, Hazard also went through a purple patch as a winger earlier this season and has been an overall threat in attack, per OptaJoe:

Keeping his biggest star content will be Sarri's chief concern, and although Hazard seems willing to move for the sake of the team and manager, he's also made it clear where he's most comfortable.