LONDON: Eden Hazard pledged his immediate future to Chelsea ruling out a move to Real Madrid in the January transfer window. Earlier this week the Belgian playmaker said it remained his dream to play for the Spanish giants. That came after a summer where speculation was rife that the 27-year-old would move to the Bernabeu. But that, for now at least, has been put on the back burner. It was put to Hazard that to win the Ballon d’Or — as the world’s best player — he would have to play in Spain. “That’s why I want to go, maybe,” Hazard said. Asked if that move might happen in January, he replied: “No.” Hazard has been instrumental in Chelsea’s unbeaten start under Maurizio Sarri, scoring eight goals in all competitions. The Belgian was selected the second best player at the World Cup and, after leading his country to third place in Russia, said it “might be time” for a fresh challenge, with Madrid his preferred destination. Speaking after Chelsea’s 3-0 victory at Southampton on Sunday, he said: “Real Madrid are the best club in the world. I don’t want to lie today. It is my dream since I was a kid. I was dreaming about this club. “We will see. I don’t want to talk about this every day. I don’t have time but we will talk about my future soon.” Hazard, whose Chelsea contract runs until June 2020, was asked yesterday whether he is the world’s best player on form and he answered with an unequivocal “yes.” AN