Eden Hazard has ruled out joining Paris Saint-Germain’s – insisting he would only ever return to France to re-join former club Lille.
The Chelsea talisman is a long-time target for moneybags PSG, who spent £360million this summer to attract Barcelona superstar Neymar and Monaco prodigy Kylian Mbappe.
Belgian defender Thomas Meunier urged his national team-mate to join him at the Parc des Princes just days ago.
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But Hazard revealed he plans to stay on at Stamford Bridge, and might consider a return to Lille at the end of his career.
He spent five years with the North France club before the Blues paid £32m for him in 2012.
Questioned about a possible return to Ligue 1, Hazard told SFR Sport: “There are some big clubs, and it was an attractive league even when I played in it six years ago.
“Big stars want to play in Ligue 1, and that is a good thing. But if I am to return it will be to play for Lille – they are my club.
“I still have a career to carve out, with a number of seasons ahead of me.
“I am at Chelsea for the time being, and I don’t know where my career will take me in the future.
But if I do go back to France it will be to play for Lille.”
Hazard, 26, also labelled Chelsea boss Antonio Conte a harsh taskmaster but hailed his work – insisting the Italian’s input has enabled the Premier League champions to play with their “eyes closed.”
Conte is set to give the playmaker his first start of the season in the Carabao Cup against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
And he added: “Antonio Conte’s methods at Chelsea are not easy. But they make us win games, so we adapt to them.
“He is someone who works us a lot, and training is not always easy. We spend many hours at it.
“But it bears fruit out on the pitch, as we are good players. We won the league last season – so there you go!
“With Conte we see work as the key to success. He does a lot of tactical stuff, and as a forward it is not always a pleasure as I often have to defend.
“But the great thing about it is that once we take the field we can virtually play with our eyes closed. I think I improved tactically after just one week under him.
“He has shown himself to be a great manager, both in Italy and with Chelsea, and I think he still has great years to come.”
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