Chelsea to hand Eden Hazard bumper new deal and look to give Thibaut Courtois fresh terms shortly after
CHELSEA are ready to hand Eden Hazard a bumper new contract - and then follow up with a similar deal for Thibaut Courtois.
Belgian star Hazard is already Chelsea's highest-paid player on £200,000-a-week but the club are keen to hand him better terms to ward off interest from Europe's biggest clubs.
And they are also finally prepared to give Courtois the kind of contract that reflects his status as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
The need to tie down winger Hazard to a lucrative new deal has been more pressing for Stamford Bridge officials in recent months.
Chelsea are aware both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been showing a strong interest in the 26-year-old over the past 18-months.
When Hazard suffered a broken ankle at the start of the summer while on international duty, it ultimately stopped either club making a serious attempt to sign him.
But the threat of a bid from either side next summer remains, and the Blues are heading that off by coming up with a £300,000-a-week contract.
Hazard is expected to finalise a few minor issues in the next few weeks to commit his future to Chelsea for at least the next four years.
And the Blues are then ready to press on with talks with Courtois over a deal that would likely double his current £120,000-a-week wages.
The 25-year-old has been forced to wait for the improved new contract for a season while Chelsea looked at strengthening the squad elsewhere.
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But his displays last season that helped the side win the Premier League title have been enough to convince doubters after a dip in form the year before.
Courtois is regarded as one of the best keepers in world football and had been high on Real Madrid's wish-list before they decided to keep faith with Keylor Navas.
And the London club know he would be a target for any of the European giants should they decide a new keeper was needed all the time he was on relatively poor wages.
So they will finally give Courtois the kind of salary he has been looking for in negotiations for the past year.
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