• Hazard has not signed new deal despite club’s best efforts • Sarri likes Hazard as false nine despite player’s reservations

Maurizio Sarri has made plain his frustration over the contractual standoff between Eden Hazard and Chelsea by telling the club’s hierarchy it is “time to decide” on the winger’s future for the good of the club.

Hazard’s deal expires in June 2020 and, despite Chelsea’s best efforts, ongoing since the summer of 2017, he has decided against extending his terms.

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Chelsea have offered Hazard in excess of £300,000 a week and it is unclear what more they could have done but Sarri feels the situation has gone on for too long. Hazard has made no secret of his desire to play for Real Madrid one day. “It’s time to decide,” Sarri said. “We have to solve this problem if we want to programme the future.”

It was put to Sarri that the club could not do anything if Hazard would not decide. “I don’t [agree],” the manager said. “The club can decide for him.”

So, should Chelsea decide to sell him? “I don’t know,” Sarri said. “But it’s right that the club knows the future and has the chance to programme the future.”

Sarri has never made his feelings on the issue so clear and his remarks may sit uncomfortably with the club’s directors. “Yes, I am a bit surprised [it has gone on this long] but I don’t know the past so I can’t say anything,” he added.

Sarri also grew exasperated when questioned about his decision to use Hazard as a false nine in the club’s last four Premier League matches. After the 2-1 win at Watford on Boxing Day Hazard said again that he did not think it was his best position and he wanted to move back to the left.

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“I cannot see the problem of Hazard in this role – he played four matches [there], scored three goals and made two assists,” Sarri said. “At the moment I am very happy with him in this position. In the future he can play also as a winger, of course. I don’t know if he prefers to play as a winger but, if he is able to play like in the last match in the centre, for me it’s not a problem to put him in the centre.”

Sarri left Álvaro Morata out of the squad at Watford for “tactical” reasons – the striker had previously been unavailable because of a knee injury – and it will be interesting to see whether he is recalled for Sunday’s trip to Crystal Palace. Sarri appears ready to persist with Hazard as the false nine. “In this moment we need to be solid and, with Hazard in this position, I think we can become more solid,” he said.

Sarri said he did not want to lose Cesc Fàbregas in January. Like David Luiz and Gary Cahill, Fàbregas is out of contract in the summer. He has been linked with Milan and Monaco.

“We have only Jorginho and Fàbregas in this position so it would be a very big problem to be without Cesc,” Sarri said. “The club policy is to renew for only one year players over 30 years old. For a player of 31, it’s a big problem to sign for only one year. Do I agree with the policy? It depends on the single [individual] situation. It’s a rule so we have to respect it.”

Joe Cole has returned to Chelsea in an academy coaching role.