Eden Hazard has described Philippe Coutinho as a "fantastic player" and believes that the playmaker's move from Liverpool to Barcelona is bad news for the Premier League.

The Catalan giants parted with up to £142m to sign their long-term target, ending the Brazil international's five-year spell in the English top flight.

Chelsea ace Hazard has talked up the talents of Coutinho, who he has come up against numerous times, and insists that the division is now worse off after losing one of the world's top performers.

"It's good for him, bad for the Premier League because he's one of the best players in the league," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying.

"He's a good guy we play against each other a couple of times - he's a fantastic player. He chose to move to Barca, it's not a bad choice to be fair. I just want him to be one of the best players in the world and to enjoy what he can do."

Hazard, linked with a summer move to Real Madrid, also revealed that he intends to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.