Chelsea warn over Barcelona amid interest for star man

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has told Barcelona to look elsewhere for potential Neymar replacements after ruling out the sale of Eden Hazard.

The Belgium international is currently sidelined through injury and is expected to miss the first month of the season as he recovers from a broken ankle suffered at the end of last season.

Real Madrid have been heavily linked with a move for Hazard in the last few years but appeared to shelve their interest around the time Hazard suffered his long-term injury.

Conte's side are planning a new contract for Hazard after he played another lead role in the club's second league title triumph in the last two years, but may now have to fend off interest from Barcelona first.

The Spanish giants have no interest in selling Neymar but his future is by no means guaranteed at the club with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly willing to trigger his £193m release clause.

Barcelona are reportedly drawing up a list of replacements for the Brazil international in the case they fail to keep hold of the 25-year-old, but Conte has told their Spanish counterparts to think twice about a move for Hazard.

"I don't know anything about this situation. In the past I read a lot of stories about (Hazard going to) Real Madrid and now there is Barcelona. This is the transfer market and we must understand this," the London Evening Standard quote Conte as saying.

"Will Hazard stay with us? Yes. He is very happy to stay with us and to play for Chelsea."

Hazard finished last season as the highest WhoScored rated player in the Premier League (7.81).