5 potential replacements for Eden Hazard at Chelsea

Following comments from Hazard’s father; Thierry, about his son’s contract situation at Stamford Bridge as well as his desire to don the white jersey of Real Madrid, Blues fans must be panicking at the prospects of being without their best player in the club’s bid to keep pace with the Manchester clubs in the Premier League and Europe’s continental giants in the UEFA Champions League.

Given the ludicrous sums of money that have been spent on transfers in the last couple of years, the board at Chelsea must already be making contingency plans on how to best replace their Belgian star in the event that he does leave the club.

Here are a few players who could replace Hazard long term at the club:

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#5 Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach & Belgium)

The younger Hazard will be a more than adequate replacement

Estimated Fee: €45m

Who better to replace a Hazard than another Hazard? Chelsea will be looking to repeat what they did with David Luiz and Nemanja Matic by bringing back the younger but equally talented Hazard brother in the event that Eden decides to follow his heart to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Possessing the exact same skill set as his elder brother, Thorgan’s explosiveness, dribbling, close control and low centre of gravity will make him an excellent replacement.

Like his big bro, he can also play anywhere behind the main striker or even function as a false nine if need be, a role Eden has been performing creditably well in the last few weeks.

Chelsea has an excellent relationship with Gladbach having loaned rising star Andreas Christensen to the German club for two very successful seasons so getting a deal done for Thorgan shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Antonio Conte would be delighted to have this like for like replacement if his current number 10 leaves as while Eden has fulfilled his potential, Thorgan is just on the cusp of becoming world class himself and given that he is two years younger than his brother, Chelsea will be the biggest beneficiaries when he finally explodes into the world-class player he has been threatening to become.

#4 Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao & Spain)

The Basque wizard will be a perfect fit for a Blues attack that will miss Hazard's dynamism

Buyout Clause: €45m

Possessing similar physical features with the man he might replace, the Basque-born star has seen his career stall somewhat in the last couple of years.

Following a few years of stagnation at San Mames, his development as a player has been somewhat affected by the goings-on at the club as due to its Basque-only policy, the club has been unable to add quality to the squad.

Still just 25 years of age, Muniain has long been thought of as the next big thing to come out of Spain and a move to Chelsea and playing under a tactical mastermind like Antonio Conte will help him begin to show those special qualities that have made him a hot prospect since his breakout season.

Extremely skilful and fast with a low centre of gravity which makes him very elusive for defenders; qualities he possesses in common with Hazard, Muniain is also like Hazard, capable of playing anywhere in the frontline.

He had started the season in La Liga very well and was looking like the real deal until his season was cut short when he suffered a right anterior cruciate ligament injury in a Europa League tie on September 29th, 2017.

It remains to be seen if he can recover on time to be in contention for a place at the World Cup but he will be a good option for the Blues if/when Hazard decides to do one.

#3 Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen & Germany)

The German youngster has the skill set needed to become an integral player for Chelsea

Estimated Fee: €60m

One if the rising stars of German football, Brandt’s arrival on the scene has been like a breath of fresh air given how agonizing the unfulfilled potential of players like Marco Reus & Patrick Hermann has been.

The chubby-cheeked, fresh-faced 21-year-old has lit up the Bundesliga with his pace, dribbling skills and overall contributions to his Bayer Leverkusen side.

The latest right-footed winger to emerge at the Bay Arena (following in the footsteps of players like Andre Schurrle, Heung Min-Son, Karim Bellarabi amongst others), Brandt is very comfortable playing on either flank or just behind the main striker.

Like all 21-year-olds, Brandt is still a bit inconsistent with his application and final delivery but with his promising skill set, this is an issue that will be smoothened out as he grows older.

He played a big part in Germany’s Confederations Cup win in 2017 and should he continue his upward trajectory, it will be difficult for Die Mannschaft coach Joachim Löw to drop the youth product from Leverkusen from the final 23-man squad for the World Cup.

He would be an ideal replacement for Hazard at Chelsea as his experiences playing for a team like Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and the Champions League as well as for Germany means that he won’t be fazed by the prospect of replacing a player as gifted as the Belgian national team’s captain.

#2 Leroy Sané (Manchester City & Germany)

The panther, Sané's potential will help the Stamford Bridge faithful forget about Hazard

Estimated Fee: €170m

The fleet-footed German winger has been a standout player this season for a rampaging Manchester City side and it is extremely doubtful that the Citizens and manager Pep Guardiola would even contemplate such a move.

However, stranger things have happened in football and if the Chelsea board will be willing to stump up the cash to poach the German international, the club would be getting a player who has the skills to not only replace the outgoing Hazard but surpass him.

Such is the talent that this young genius possesses that it is scary to even begin to think of what he will become in the next couple of seasons. The 21-year-old’s ascent to the top of the footballing pyramid has been as rapid as his displays on the field.

Blessed with pace, strength, an ability to deliver great crosses coupled with accurate shooting and ability to take on defenders, Sané is primarily left-footed but is able to play on either side of the forward line or if need be, play as a false nine à la Lionel Messi.

A mesmerizing dribbler whose babyish mien hides a fierce competitor, Sané is a deceptively fast winger who is adept at functioning on either wing. He possesses a knack for goal scoring like the man he may replace, registers his fair share of assists and is very strong and difficult to knock off the ball.

#1 Paulo Dybala (Juventus & Argentina)

Dybala would be an upgrade to Hazard in terms of technique & goalscoring

Estimated Fee: €200m

For a very long time, Argentine football has been searching for the natural successor to Diego Maradona. Pablo Aimar, Ariel Ortega and so many diminutive, technical players suffered under the burden of being compared to Armando until the arrival of Leo Messi on the stage.

Now, the Albiceleste may have already found the successor to Leo, even before the maestro retires, in Paulo Dybala.

La Joya (The Jewel) as Dybala is popularly called has emerged as the most important player for La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady) even more than record signing Gonzalo Higuain.

The left-footed baby-faced assassin may not have the explosive pace of Messi or Hazard but he has been blessed with a sweet left foot combined with superb finishing and a brain that sees things 10 seconds quicker than other players on the pitch.

Dybala has settled into his role in a star-studded Juve team with aplomb and his performances have helped to negate any feelings of loss occasioned by the departures of Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba.

A roving striker rather than a false nine or a playmaker, Dybala will come into Chelsea with a strong work ethic and the kind of talent that the Stamford Bridge faithful would have seen from only two players in the last 30 years; Gianfranco Zola and Hazard himself.

His Juventino affiliation would mean manager Conte will be well aware of what he will bring to the team and his arrival will be the biggest signal that Chelsea truly want to join and stay in the upper echelon of club football, a closed community of the crème de la crème that the Blues have occasionally flirted with but never really fit into.