Chelsea FC need to hold on to Eden Hazard, hopefully for the rest of his career. That means they must sign Thibaut Courtois to as long an extension as is humanly possible.
I know, I know, dear reader. You’ve been reading my work for a while and know what I think about Thibaut Courtois. Yet now, just as I’ve convinced you of the truth – that Courtois is not as good as he thinks he is – now that you’ve joined the enlightened few and appreciate the air of intelligence that separates you from the drooling masses… you’ll be as sad about this as I am. Chelsea need Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea need him not because they truly require the services of the world’s most marvelously mediocre goalkeeper long-term. They need Courtois because they need Eden Hazard for as long as they can have him.
Courtois and Hazard are good friends and discuss their contracts together at length, apparently. Courtois has even suggested the two would be more willing to sign and encourage one another to stay if the other was present.
How Chelsea allowed themselves to be in such a helplessly submissive position is a question only God or Michael Emenalo can answer. But it is the truth of the moment. Chelsea have bumbled themselves into a fiasco where two of their most valuable and influential assets appear to be not only in collusion with one another on contractual issues but within two years or less of a free transfer each. There has perhaps never been a weaker negotiating position for club management to be in.
That Chelsea should pay Thibaut Courtois essentially whatever he wants in order to sign and then also pay Hazard a significant sum of money is a miraculous failure in management. Yet, sadly, about as necessary as air to the club. If Chelsea lose Eden Hazard it sets the club back an unbelievable amount. Hazard could very well turn out to be the best player in the history of the club. By losing him, Chelsea would essentially resign their status as elite European challengers.
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Chelsea need to be objective. Eden Hazard’s future with the club is worth keeping Courtois. They can point fingers at the spectacular failures in planning and recruitment that allowed the club to be in this sort of position. But the truth is rather simple: they are in this position and they need to do the deals. Now.