On 4 June, 2012 Chelsea completed the signing of wonder kid Eden Hazard. Six years on and his legacy in Blue is no more clear than it ever has been.
What would it mean if Eden Hazard left Chelsea? It is a question that has been asked almost every summer the Belgian has been at the club. The noise only heightened as he approached his prime and his idol, Zinedine Zidane, took charge of Real Madrid. With Zidane now gone, Hazard looks more likely to stay. But these stories have circulated for years and will not stop anytime soon.
And after six years, it is still difficult to place Hazard in the pantheon of Chelsea players. Where does he fit and how will he be remembered are still unanswered questions. Hazard has been, at times, completely unplayable and on top of the world. At others, he has been apathetic and has languished. With yet another potential exit (or stay) approaching, Hazard’s legacy is as unknown as ever.
Hazard is coming off of one his best seasons but it feels like anything but. He was fantastic in the early stages after returning from injury. But in the winter months, he slumped considerably. The team did as well but Hazard looked particularly uncaring. He brought his level back up towards he end, but overall the season feels like a bit of a let down, despite being one of his best.
But that brings up another issue. Most of Hazard’s seasons at Chelsea look roughly the same. In four of his six seasons, he passed both the ten goal and ten assist mark. In five, he passed the ten goal mark. But overall, he has only broken twenty in either stat once (assists in 2012/2013, the season where he played the most of any of his six seasons).
Related Story: Chelsea's Lions and Super Eagles: Gary Cahill stands tallest in friendly
Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba blew past twenty goals or assists regularly. Hazard may be easier on the eye to watch, but at the end of the day everything is numbers based. Hazard has good numbers, but not as big as the other legends.
Part of the issue Hazard has had at Chelsea is the constant chop and change of managers. He performed well under all of them, of course, but consistently well. It is hard to say that he truly improved under any one manager.
It is also interesting to note that when given the “10” role he often coveted, he had some of his worst form. In addition, he was given a great deal of freedom by Antonio Conte at times which also coincided with a dip in form. Jose Mourinho, who asked more of Hazard defensively, also failed to have the right answer for the Belgian.
If Hazard were to depart the club this summer, he would not do so as a legend. He would do so as a fan favorite, sure, but he has yet to truly establish himself in the mythical realms of Chelsea. His legacy, even after six years in blue, is still very much in flux.
But staying at Chelsea through the hard times can go a long way towards changing that. Goals and assists are important, but so is leadership and resilience. Hazard will soon become a key leader in the dressing room at Chelsea if he is not already. Younger players will go to him for advice and guidance.
Next: Chelsea legend to complete Derby triumvirate on path back to Blues
Staying at Chelsea is the only way Hazard can become a legend in blue. Retiring there will ensure it. Hazard may have suffered under the constant chop change of managers and failure to kill off opponents, but loyalty will go a long way towards the Belgian reaching the awed levels of Drogba and Lampard.