Ashley Cole believes Eden Hazard will stay at Chelsea.
Hazard’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires next year and he continues to be linked with a move to Real Madrid.
The Belgian has made no secret of his desire to play for Real, is known to idolise their manager Zinedine Zidane, and has been tipped to move this summer.
However, former Chelsea and England left-back Cole has predicted that Hazard will not go.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Cole said: “They have to keep him – I think it’s a must.
“I don’t see why he would want to leave, to be honest. I think the club loves him, he loves the club.
“But…Real Madrid, the club that he loves, with the manager he loves in Zidane, it’s going to be difficult to keep him. But I hope he stays and I think he will stay.”
Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat at Liverpool meant they stayed fourth in the table.
And Cole said: “At a club like Chelsea, you’ve got to be winning games. You can’t be losing big games like this.
“They have to come in the top four. It’s definitely important for next season. But they should be challenging (for the title).”