Jose Mourinho has claimed that Eden Hazard can establish himself as "one of the greats of his generation" and Chelsea are confident they will agree a new long-term contract with the Belgium international over the coming weeks.
Hazard was one of the club’s most consistent performers last season, and Mourinho pointed to the steady progress made by the 23-year-old in terms of developing tactical awareness and accepting defensive duties over his first year working with the player.
Yet that education is far from complete, and the manager has been publicly critical of the Belgian's failure to track back and check a run by Atletico Madrid's Juanfran in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final in April, an error that cost his team an equaliser.
It was a reminder that team-building is a long process as Mourinho prepared to throw Hazard back into the competition in tonight’s opening Group G fixture against Schalke 04.
“Eden means a lot to us because he’s a fantastic player,” said the manager. “We are feeling day by day his motivation to work hard and improve. We have big hopes that he will go from the top player he is at this moment and will reach higher levels to become one of the best.”
New contract
He continued: “It’s true Chelsea are trying to have an agreement over a new contract and that he wants to stay and commit for a few more years. It’s a question of time before he’ll have a new contract.” His current deal runs until 2017.
The forthcoming improved terms should see Hazard command a weekly salary in the region of £200,000, ensuring he remains among the highest earners at Stamford Bridge.
The playmaker is expected to start against a Schalke team horribly weakened by injuries, shorn of confidence after their worst start to a season in 46 years and still bruised by Saturday’s 4-1 thrashing at Borussia Monchengladbach.
They will meet a Chelsea side in scintillating form with Mourinho convinced his team are far stronger this season than last, when they finished third in the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of Europe's elite competition.
The manager, who has a fully fit squad, claimed the Champions League for Porto and Internazionale in his second year in charge at each of them, having won the respective domestic league titles in Portugal and Italy the previous year.
Different contest
"But England is a different contest. Is the third or fourth English team in the table better than almost every champion in Europe? Yes, no doubt," said Mourinho, who is aiming to become the first manager to win the European Cup for three different clubs."
He continued: "I want my club to succeed in the group stage. It would be very bad for the evolution of the group and the players to go into the Europa League, and for the club's prestige. Chelsea are not about the Europa League. " Guardian Service
