6 players Chelsea could replace Eden Hazard with

#1 – Phillipe Coutinho

Coutinho has struggled for a regular place in the Barcelona side

Coutinho's situation at Barcelona is beginning to resemble Gareth Bale's at Madrid. An ex-Premier League superstar who left for an astronomical fee, who now cannot hold down a place in the team.

Benched for the first leg of Barcelona's Champions League leg at Lyon, Coutinho is essentially competing with Ousmane Dembele for a place in Barcelona's front 3, and it increasingly looks like Dembele's pace is the more natural fit for the role.

Naturally, the rumour mill is in full swing. Manchester United have been linked, and have even been quoted with a price according to some sources, while there are plenty at Liverpool who would welcome him back with open arms. As far as Chelsea are concerned, Coutinho is a natural replacement for Hazard.

Whilst their playing style is different, both operate best on the left hand side of a front 3, and both are proven Premier League match winners.

Hazard's specialty might be slaloming runs opening up space for either himself or the strikers, whilst Coutinho has mastered the art of dropping the shoulder, coming inside the full back and curling one in from outside the box, but Chelsea would not be complaining either way.