Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has said “it might be time to discover something different” after six “wonderful years” at Stamford Bridge.
Goodbye then, Eden – it was fun while it lasted.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked with a £150 million move for the Belgium playmaker and if Chelsea receive that sort of offer they should be snapping either club’s hands off to complete the transfer.
“You know my preferred destination,” Hazard said. “I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will make the final decision – if they want to let me go.”
Will he go, won’t he go? Isn’t it just so typical of Hazard that it’s come to this?
Rewind to the 2014/15 season. Hazard was superb as Chelsea won the title.
By Decemeber 2015, Hazard’s anonymous performances for the Blues (along with many of his teammates) saw manager Jose Mourinho unceremonioulsy dumped by Chelsea.
A few months later Antonio Conte is appointed as manager and he wins the title in his first season. Hazard? A key part of it.
Conte subsequently loses the plot and season two doesn’t go quite as well. Hazard? Largely anonymous.
There has been much talk that the 27-year-old is the natural successor to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the world’s best player.
The fact of the matter is, he’s not fit to lace their boots.
Sure, he can be twinkled-toed and creative when (if) the mood takes him.
However, 69 goals in 208 Premier League games doesn’t even come close to the levels that Ronaldo and Messi have achieved in La Liga.
Factor in what appears to have been sporadic disruptiveness at Chelsea and you’d have to question the wisdom of anyone who thinks Hazard is worth the hassle.
£150 million? Chelsea would be crazy to reject anything close to that figure. Take the cash and build again.
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