CHELSEA PREPARE FOR LIFE AFTER HAZARD
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It is no longer news that Belgian, Eden Hazard has departed Chelsea and set to be unveiled as a Real Madrid player this week following the completion of a deal which could surpass £130million.
The Belgian agreed on a five-year contract, subject to a medical, and will join Los Blancos after seven successful years at Chelsea.
Hazard scored 110 goals in 352 games for the Blues and leaves a huge hole in their attack which will need to be replaced.
However, a transfer ban is currently imposed on Chelsea, meaning the west Londoners are unable to register any new players for the next two windows
The Blues had been linked with Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey, Lille star Nicolas Pepe and out-of-favour Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho but all these options may be off the table if the ban stays in place.
The club are appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after FIFA rejected their case, but many fans are fearing the worst.
Therefore contingency plans must be made, so what options do Chelsea have among their current crop of players to replace Hazard?
Pulisic signed from Borussia Dortmund for £58million in January but returned to the Signal Iduna Park on loan for the remainder of the season.
Now at Stamford Bridge and ready to make an impact, the 20-year-old will hope he can slot straight into Hazard’s shoes on the left of the Chelsea attack.
However, the American will need to improve on a record of just six goals and four assists in 28 domestic appearances this campaign if he wants to nail down a spot permanently.
Indeed, Pulisic was used primarily off the bench in the Bundesliga this season and it remains to be seen if he can cut it in the Premier League.
Also, Willian and Pedro have been mainstays in the Chelsea team since their arrivals in 2013 and 2015 respectively, although often at the expense of one another.
The pair have shared duties on the right wing when Hazard was fit and firing on the left, while both Willian and Pedro were sometimes deployed together in cup matches if the Belgian was given the evening off.
Their statistics are startlingly similar – Pedro enjoyed the more productive season in front of goal with 13 strikes to Willian’s eight in competitive matches but trails the Brazilian by five assists to 13.
With both players racking up over 50 appearances for the Blues since the start of the campaign, it’s not inconceivable that they are both given starting berths next season and asked to fill the void left by Hazard’s departure.
Considered by many to be the long-term successor of Hazard at Chelsea but Hudson-Odoi is currently sidelined by injury and will not be fit for the start of the season.
The Blues youth product ruptured his Achilles in April and it was feared he could miss more than six months, although his recovery is reportedly progressing faster than expected and he could be back training by September.
Hudson-Odoi had been frustrated by his lack of match action under Maurizio Sarri, although Bayern Munich were impressed enough with his fleeting appearances to offer £35m in January.
Chelsea have kept hold of the exciting winger and could pin their hopes on him going forward, but they will have to wait until midway through next season to start reaping the rewards.
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