Eden Hazard is Chelsea’s greatest foreign import, insists Blues legend Gianfranco Zola

Eden Hazard is Chelsea’s greatest foreign import, insists Blues legend Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola has hailed Eden Hazard as Chelsea’s greatest foreign import.Assistant coach Zola, who scored 80 goals in 312 Chelsea appearances between 1996 and 2003, needed no time to put Hazard top of the Stamford Bridge pile for overseas recruits.2

Chelsea No 2 Gianfranco Zola was a huge hit during his playing days and holds legendary status among supporters

Ivory Coast hitman Didier Drogba and Zola would doubtless be at the forefront of fans’ minds when drawing up a list of Chelsea’s all-time great imports.But Zola is adamant Hazard must top that chart, while admitting he still holds out hope the Belgium playmaker will not depart for Real Madrid this summer.“Eden Hazard’s definitely at the very top,” said Zola, ranking the 28-year-old as Chelsea’s best-ever overseas signing.“He’s such an unbelievable player. The more I’ve spent time with him the more I appreciate him as a player, but also as a boy.“He’s been great. I would love to have him for longer.2

However, Eden Hazard is Chelsea’s greatest foreign import, according to Zola

“What we are trying to do here perfectly suits him. It’s no coincidence that he’s having his best season.“I don’t want to take anything away from him and what he has achieved. But certainly the way we play helps him a lot.”Madrid are expected to lure Hazard away from Chelsea this summer, with the Belgium star’s current Stamford Bridge deal expiring at the end of next season.Chelsea continue to hold out for 100m however, with Real boss Zinedine Zidane keen to add the livewire forward to his Bernabeu rebuilding project.Hazard has 85 goals and 81 assists from his 241 Premier League appearances for Chelsea since his 2012 debut.

LIVE ON talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...

• Napoli vs Arsenal (Thursday, 8pm) – talkSPORT 2
• Sheffield United vs Nottingham Forest (Friday, 12:30pm) – talkSPORT 2
• Leeds vs Wigan (Friday, 3pm) – talkSPORT 2
• Sunderland vs Doncaster (Friday, 5:15pm) – talkSPORT 2
• Norwich vs Sheffield Wednesday (Friday, 7:45pm) – talkSPORT 2
• Newcastle vs Southampton (Saturday, 5:30pm) – talkSPORT
• Accrington Stanley vs Luton (Saturday, 5:30pm) – talkSPORT 2
• Everton vs Manchester United (Sunday, 1:30pm) – talkSPORT
• Cardiff vs Liverpool (Sunday, 4pm) – talkSPORT

Despite continuing to hope the Belgian will stay at Chelsea next term, Zola insisted the Blues can still pull off a strong end to the campaign by winning the Europa League and finishing fourth in the Premier League.“Of course we hope that Hazard will stay with us because he’s such an important player for us,” said Zola.“There’s a lot of talking around this team, I realise that. “But we as coaches have to make sure we are not distracted by all of that.“We need to maintain focus, because this year a lot of times I heard talk that it’s been a bad season.“But if we can reach the final and maybe win the Europa League and end up fourth in the Premier League, I think it could be a remarkable season.”

---

Aston Villa flop Jordan Veretout linked with transfer move to

---

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey will face no punishment for an alleged Nazi salute after an FA charge was found not proven by an independent regulatory commission.
Wayne Hennessey: Auschwitz Memorial tweets Palace keeper over

---

Midfielder Agoume, 17, is a rising star with French club Sochaux who has been compared to Paul Pogba and has been on Manchester City's radar for months.. Born in Cameroon, Agoume is available for just £4.43m as his contract runs out next summer and he is unlikely to sign a new one.
Man Utd 'agree deal to sign £70m Bruno Fernandes' - dubbed

---

"Jurgen Klopp has today been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3. "It is alleged that comments he made in a post-match interview following Liverpool's league game against West Ham United on
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp charged by FA for comments

---

Tottenham Hotspur legend Paul Gascoigne has shared pictures of himself with fellow heroes ahead of their match with Inter Milan. Spurs' new stadium has its second and final test event on
Tottenham want Paul Gascoigne to play in legends game at new

---

---

Live Commentary: Chelsea 2-3 Burnley - as it happened Victor Moses's early second-half goal saw Chelsea lead, but Sead Kolasinac levelled late on, before the Gunners recorded a 4-1 victory in
Live football stream Archives • Sporting Alert

---

Transfer news and football gossip: Real Madrid's £106m Hazard bid, Liverpool target 'reluctant' to move, Man United 'favourites' to sign PSG star (Liverpool Echo) Tottenham are
Transfer news, rumours and gossip - LIVE! - standard.co.uk

---

Rangers will reportedly go all out to sign Kieran Dowell on loan from Everton as a direct replacement for Ovie Ejaria. The Gers lost Ejaria to parent club Liverpool earlier this week as the youngster failed to settle in Glasgow. Steven Gerrard has admitted to being a fan of Dowell, but he gave little away when pushed by reporters as to whether
Transfer news: Sheffield United beat Rangers to the loan

---

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata says he is unsure where his future lies with his contract at Old Trafford set to expire at the end of the season.. The Spaniard has been free to discuss
Juan Mata: Manchester United offer midfielder new contract

---

Liverpool and Manchester United will have to fork out £70million if they want to sign Real Madrid flop James Rodriguez, according to reports. Rodriguez was shipped out on a two-year loan deal to Bayern Munich after failing to claim a place in the Real team.
Transfer news LIVE: Van Dijk to Real Madrid, Leeds DEAL

---

BARCELONA legend Andres Iniesta reminded Chelsea fans of the night he denied them a Champions League final - one day after Maurizio Sarri's men qualified for Europe.
Referee Tom Henning Ovrebo discusses Chelsea vs Barcelona

---

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has a number of injury issues to contend with ahead of his side's clash with Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.The Argentine had a decision to make at left-back
Dortmund ace Mario Gotze ruled out of Real Madrid Champions

---

Manchester United and Real Madrid are both reportedly admirers of Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino as they could be prepared to make changes in the dugout next season. If they or any other
Tottenham Lining Up Bournemouth's Eddie Howe Should Man Utd

---

Team news. Connor Goldson, Ryan Kent and Scott Arfield have all passed late fitness tests and start for Rangers as Steven Gerrard makes two changes to the XI which drew 1-1 with Hibernian on Boxing Day. Gareth McAuley misses out due to injury. For Celtic, Brendan Rodgers has also made two changes to the team which beat Aberdeen 4-3 on Boxing Day.
Rangers transfer news: Steven Gerrard delivers January

---