Maurizio Sarri Talks Eden Hazard, Alvaro Morata, Chelsea Striker Pecking Order

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has cast doubts over forward Alvaro Morata's future after saying Eden Hazard is his preferred option to lead the line.

In recent games, Hazard has been moved from his berth on the left flank into a central position, with Willian and Pedro flanking him. The tactical switch has improved the team's overall performance, and the Belgium international has been back to his productive best.

Speaking about his options up top, Sarri said he's been impressed with the way Hazard has adapted to the role and commented on what this means for Morata, per Ian Baker of The Independent:

"We need to be balanced on the pitch and be more solid. In the last matches I prefer this solution [Eden in a central role]. For the future everything is open.

"I think that Alvaro is better in the box and better to attack spaces but I have to say Eden is improving as you saw in the last match with the second goal, he attacked very well the space. It's different as Eden is better when he comes to play with the midfielders and opens spaces. He's another way of playing. ...

"Alvaro's potential is to be a very good player."

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Per Liam Twomey of ESPN FC, the Spaniard's recent absence from the squad against Watford was nothing to do with Morata's injury:

According to Baker, the Blues may look to sell Morata in the January transfer window. Bournemouth's Callum Wilson and AC Milan forward Gonzalo Higuain have both been linked with the London club.

Sarri's priority needs to be getting the best out of Hazard, who has once again proved to be the team's key attacker. In the final third, he's one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League:

When playing up top, Hazard may not get as many touches of the ball, but he finds himself in more dangerous positions and has the freedom to roam. In matches against Manchester City, Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford, that elusiveness has been a challenge for opposition defences to handle.

With Olivier Giroud seemingly ahead of Morata in the pecking order too, it does appear increasingly unlikely that things are going to work out for the former Real Madrid and Juventus man at Stamford Bridge.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher had his say on the Spaniard earlier in the season:

Given managers look to rotate their squads at this busy point in the campaign, the fact that Morata wasn't even on the bench for the showdown with Watford is an indictment of his position.

As good as Hazard has been at the point of the attack, there does appear to be a glaring hole in the Blues setup in the form of a high-class centre-forward. With neither Morata nor Giroud able to perform on a consistent basis, expect some significant activity in upcoming transfer windows relating to this facet of the team.