Eden Hazard will miss the start of the new season

Eden Hazard will miss the start of the new Premier League season as he recovers from a broken ankle. The Belgian picked up the injury whilst on international duty on Sunday before undergoing surgery shortly after. 

Hazard was instrumental in Chelsea's Premier League success last season, scoring sixteen goals and producing some of his top form. He has been linked strongly with a move to La Liga champions Real Madrid, but it appears that Chelsea are willing to do anything to keep him at the club. 

Chelsea released a statement explaining that the surgery on Hazard's right ankle had been successful, although they expect that he will be out of action for around three months. 

This news means that the midfielder will miss all of Chelsea's pre-season matches and also the start of the new Premier League campaign, which gets underway on August 12. 

One positive from this from a Chelsea perspective is that Real Madrid's interest in Hazard may now be reduced whilst he undergoes his rehabilitation.