Chelsea must resist the urge to bring Eden Hazard back to Stamford Bridge
Eden Hazard became a world-class star at Chelsea, but a sensational return for the Belgian winger wouldn’t work out for the Blues.
Real Madrid are willing to sell Eden Hazard this summer and, predictably, that has several news sources linking him to a storybook return to Chelsea. If the Blues want to continue to progress under Thomas Tuchel they need to look forward rather than revisiting their past with the Belgian winger.
According to Marca, Carlo Ancelotti believes he can “get the best” out of Hazard but club officials are still interested in selling him off to the highest bidder in the coming weeks. Chelse have the financial might to bring Hazard back to the Premier League but it’s not an advisable move for officials at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard may well bounce back from his erratic form at Madrid, but Chelsea are already well-stocked with young attackers that need big minutes next season. Bringing Hazard back into the fold would only make it more difficult for the Blues to accurately aid the development of youngsters like Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Where should Hazard go?
The simple truth is that Hazard’s best option is to stay put at Real Madrid and ply his trade under Ancelotti next season. He’s the perfect manager for an attacker who relies on his style in the attacking third without putting in a ton of defensive work.
Lowering Hazard’s workload could be the key to helping him stay on the pitch. His body tends to break down when he’s asked to play with an exceptional work rate on the wing. Ancelotti isn’t going to ask for that kind of effort from his wide attackers. That’s the reason why relatively brittle veterans like Hazard and Gareth Bale could be in a position to personally thrive at Real Madrid next season.
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Even if Real are willing to sell Hazard for a cut-rate fee, Chelsea should stay out of the fray. They are headed in the right direction under Tuchel and the club doesn’t need to look to the past to find its future success. It’s a storybook reunion that the Blues must avoid at all costs.