Hazard has put his contract talks on hold until the end of the season

Eden Hazard is refusing to sign a new contract at Chelsea in the hope of attracting an offer from Real Madrid.

The Belgium forward has followed his compatriot Thibaut Courtois in putting his contract talks on hold until the end of the season despite the club’s willingness to make him the highest-paid player in their history with a deal worth £300,000 a week.

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Hazard, 26, is happy at Stamford Bridge but is reluctant to extend a contract that has two and a half years to run as it would effectively end his hopes of joining Real. The Spanish club have coveted Hazard for some time but, despite expressing interest, did not make a formal bid last summer.

Chelsea made the £300,000-a-week offer in September and