MAURIZIO SARRI will hold crunch talks with Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois over their Chelsea futures today.
That’s the claim from the Daily Mail as the Italian looks to hold on to the Belgian pair.
Both have been linked with moves to Real Madrid but with less than a week to go until the transfer window deadline (Thursday, 5pm), the Blues will reportedly tell the duo that they will not be sold.
Hazard and Courtois return to training today following their World Cup commitments, helping Roberto Martinez’s Belgium to finish third via beating England in a play-off clash.
And new manager Sarri is keen to resolve their situations in person with both having hinted at a desire to leave Stamford Bridge.
Express Sport understands that Chelsea have rejected a £31million offer from Real Madrid for their No 1 shot-stopper – who has entered the final year of his contract.
The London club feel that offer is derisory given Courtois’ quality despite the short amount of time left on his deal.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia has told Real Madrid that they must raise their bid with the FA Cup holders willing to sanction a deal at the right price given that they could lose him for nothing in 12 months.
The reason they have yet to reach an agreement however is primarily because of their failure thus far to land a Courtois replacement.
Sarri wanted to sign former Roma rival Alisson but was beaten to the Brazilian by Liverpool, who spent £65m – a world-record splash on a keeper – to sign him last month.
Jan Oblak and Kevin Trapp have been mentioned as alternatives but the Slovenian would cost £90m while Jack Butland, Pepe Reina and Kasper Schmeichel are other names to be linked.
Chelsea have already signed one shot-stopper this summer in former England international Rob Green, who joined on a free to become the club’s new No 3 and boost their quota of homegrown players.
The Mail say that Sarri rejected a £100m joint-offer for Courtois and winger Willian, who was also subject of interest from La Liga rivals Barcelona earlier in the window.
Despite their Courtois stance, Chelsea are less reluctant to allow Hazard to leave and hope to tie their star winger down to a new-and-improved long-term deal.
They have tabled a £300,000-a-week offering – an £80,000-a-week upgrade on the deal he currently has, which runs out in two years’ time.
It has been said this summer that it would take a world-record bid in excess of £200m for Chelsea to sell Hazard before August 9.
Hazard has flirted with a move to Madrid in recent weeks having hailed the European champions a “special” club while hinting that he has a well-known “preferred destination”.
But despite suggesting it could be time to leave Chelsea after six years, in which time he has won every trophy but the Champions League, Sarri will inform him that he will not be allowed to leave.
Although Hazard and Courtois report back beforehand, neither will feature against Manchester City at Wembley in Sunday’s Community Shield showdown (3pm).
They could be involved when Chelsea face Lyon at Stamford Bridge in their final friendly of the summer next Tuesday (8.05pm).