Hazard wants Benteke at Chelsea

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The pair are Belgium team-mates and speaking ahead of their friendly with France on Saturday Hazard urged Benteke to “make a good career choice”.

Benteke, 24, signed a four-year deal at Villa Park in 2013, after initially handing in a transfer request, and speculation over the hitman’s future has resurfaced this summer with Chelsea linked with the player.

“If Christian signs with us, I would be the happiest man in the world,” said Hazard.

“I have a great relationship with him and would like nothing better than to play with him. Christian is 25 (sic). He is at an age where he has to make a good career choice.

“Not that Aston Villa is a small club but he has already played many great games and can now play in the Champions League.”

Liverpool are also believed to be tracking Benteke, who scored 15 goals last season, with 12 in his last 13 games as Villa reached the FA Cup final and staved off the threat of relegation.

Villa boss Tim Sherwood revealed last month that they might have no choice but to let Benteke leave this summer because of a £32.5m release clause in his contract.

He said: “There’s a buy-out clause in his contract so it will be impossible for us to stop him if he wants to go.

“Someone’s got to meet that buy-out clause and if they don’t, it won’t be considered because we don’t want to lose him.”