EDEN HAZARD is stalling over signing a new £300,000-a-week Chelsea deal in case Real Madrid come calling.
The Belgium star, 26, insists he is happy at Stamford Bridge but is keeping his options open, according to the Times.
His contract does not expire until the summer of 2020.
Real are long-term admirers of Hazard though did not make a formal bid last summer.
Chelsea tabled a club-record £300k-a-week deal in September and should the forward sign it he would eclipse Paul Pogba (£290k a week) as the highest paid Premier League player.
Blues boss Antonio Conte urged Hazard to sign the contract after scoring a double against Newcastle in Saturday's 3-1 win.
Hazard's Belgium team-mate Thibaut Courtois is also a concern for Chelsea as he remains locked in a stalemate over extending his contract beyond the end of next season.
Conte said: "The club knows very well the importance of these two players, I think these two players are very happy to play for this club.
"It is normal during the season to have the contact between the player – or the agent of the player – and the club. I hope that at the end, Thibaut will sign his contract.
"If you ask me about these two players, I will be very happy when they can have this deal but this is the responsibility of the club to try to do this.
"I can give my opinion and for me these two players are two great players especially because they have a lot of space for improvement.
"They are very young players and it will be great to keep them with us."
Eden Hazard admits playing for Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane would be a 'dream'
It is believed that due to Hazard's commitment on the pitch, Chelsea respect his wishes to delay any new deal.
But they will quietly hope Real manager Zinedine Zidane is no longer in charge of the club in the summer due to his influence over their star player.
Hazard in November admitted: "Zidane would be a dream to have as a coach, he was my idol when I was little. I have a lot of respect for him."
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