Maurizio Sarri wants to make Chelsea fun again and Eden Hazard is part of his plan

Simon Johnson19 July 2018

Maurizio Sarri has promised he will bring the fun back to Chelsea and gave a huge hint that Eden Hazard will be part of his squad next season.

Sarri was unveiled in front of the media for the first time this afternoon having signed a contract to take over at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The former Napoli coach succeeds Antonio Conte, who was dismissed last week following two years of a strained relationship between himself and the board.

Conte’s style of play came under scrutiny too despite winning the League and FA Cup and Sarri has suggested he will bring more excitement to their football.

When asked if he aims to provide more entertaining football, he said: "I hope so, I really hope so. Clearly, football can be entertaining or not but much depends on the players.

“A good manager if he has strong players, there has to be physicality and technical play, this will depend on the final squad. But I am convinced if a team has fun, often the fans have fun too.

“My goal is to have fun as long as I’m here and possibly be competitive in all the competitions until the end.

PA

“In life the biggest you gift you may receive is to have fun while you do your job. Few people have this but I managed to do this last time (at Napoli).”

Speaking mostly in Italian in front of director Marina Granovskaia and chairman Bruce Buck, Sarri made it clear he has a minor say on transfers.

Chelsea are facing a battle to keep their key players with keeper Thibaut Courtois looking set to join Real Madrid for £35.5m, while Hazard also continues to be linked with a switch to the Bernabeu.

But Sarri clearly intends to work with the Belgium international, saying: “Hazard is a very high level player and I think he is one of the top two or three European players.

“I would like to have fun during the week together with him and also Sundays because this would mean very good results are we are competitive at the end of the season.

“I hope I will manage to improve him - this is very difficult given the level he has reached.

“Clearly, we would like to keep the strongest players. This is what any manager wants and any clubs wants. Then we will have to see how the transfer market will go over the next few days.

“I feel much more of a field manager, a pitch manager than a general manager. I am one of the few managers who is bored by the transfer market. I don’t want to talk about the transfer market and I’m not that interested. Our task as managers is growing the players we have.

“I would like to meet these players face to face and talk to them and understand what the best thing to do for everyone before that

“I would also like a player to come on the pitch for four or five days together with me to have a clear idea of what the plan is.”

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