Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Chelsea FC supporters know all about Eden Hazard, the talented Belgian superstar that will don the No. 10 shirt for both club and country this coming season, however many supporters may not know much about his younger brother, Thorgan Hazard, a star in his own right. However, all that may change, according to the transfer rumor machine.
TalkSport has reported that Liverpool and Valencia are in the running to secure a loan of the 21 year old Belgian who spent the past 2 seasons at Belgian Pro side Zulte Waregem, where Thorgan emerged as quite the talent in his own right. Last season the young midfielder scored 17 goals and provided 20 assists for Zulte, while bigger and bigger clubs began to take notice. Despite his skill, it is unlikely to see him playing alongside his older brother Eden in the Chelsea first team anytime soon. Thorgan himself has expressed his desire to further his development in either the Premier League or Germany’s Bundesliga, another proving ground for young European talent.
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If the club decide they want to keep the younger Hazard long term, a new contract combined with sending him on loan to a top league on the continent might be in the cards, or possibly even a loan in the Premier Leauge. However a more likely stop would seem to be La Liga. The Spanish league is one of the best in the world and while it may not be as good an indicator of a players ability to flourish in the Premier league it has the added benefit of not strengthening Chelsea’s title rivals.
If Chelsea do decide to loan Hazard to an English club, I personally am hesitant to send him to Liverpool, as the Reds finished 2nd this season and were a primary title contender. Next season Liverpool will also have to deal with the added fixtures of a Champions League campaign, and adding young players to their side would certainly aid them in their quest to claim a top spot in Europe and England.
I would enjoy seeing the younger Hazard being sent to ply his trade in sunny Spain, as La Liga can be very exciting and a great proving ground for young players. Chelsea purchased one Juan Mata a few seasons ago from Valencia, and that turned out well for both player and club. Should Hazard be loaned to a Spanish club I would expect it to be a relatively large club, but not as big as Real Madrid or Barcelona. Valencia are interested in the youngster, and I think that could be a great place for Hazard to adapt to the pressures of a ‘major’ European league. If La Liga is out of the cards, there are a number of Bundesliga clubs that would likely be interested in the youngster should he follow the path of former Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne. De Bruyne starred at both Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg in Germany’s top division.
If Thorgan can develop to be even just close to his brothers level, Chelsea will either have 2 incredibly talented Belgian midfielders, or a very strong player for sale to fund other needs down the line.
UTC!
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