Hazard hungry for more game time

Eden Hazard was omitted from the Chelsea starting XI for 13 of their Premier League matches last term, but is determined to be one of the first names on the team sheet for the season opener with West Ham.

The Belgium winger was a shadow of the man last season that had been voted player of the year by his peers and the football writers at the end of the 2014/15 campaign, in which Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions.

Hazard revealed he sent a text message to Jose Mourinho last December after he was sacked, apologising for his dip in form.

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

But with former Italy boss Antonio Conte now at the helm, the 25-year-old Belgium forward hopes to play a pivotal role at Stamford Bridge once more.

“I hope I can start the game against AC Milan on Wednesday (pre-season friendly), but my objective is the first game against West Ham,” said Hazard, for whom Chelsea paid Lille £32m in June 2012.

“I have to go step by step, I don’t want to go out like a crazy man and play 90 minutes but then get injured again.”