Chelsea’s Eden Hazard looks to be preparing for his exit. The Blues should show faith in Callum Hudson-Odoi during the transition.
Eden Hazard has laid the criteria for the future of his Chelsea career. If Real Madrid comes calling, he wants to go. If not, he will stay. Whether it happens or not, Chelsea must begin preparing for a potential departure. That means the Blues need to treat the next 18 months as a transition away from Hazard.
Naturally, there is a desire to use any money acquired from a Hazard sale for a like for like replacement. But that does not necessarily need to be the case. Chelsea has a player on the books now that they can show faith in during a transition: Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Much of January was tied up in rumors (and actual stories) of Bayern Munich’s interest in Hudson-Odoi and his desire to go to the German side. It is important to note that Hudson-Odoi does not want to leave, but feels as though he has to leave to have a successful career. But the Hazard situation can change the calculus.
It was always likely that the club could not hold on to both Hudson-Odoi and Hazard next season. Pulisic’s transfer fee alone will likely warrant him significant playing time. Willian and Pedro are aging and have no guarantee of starts anymore. And if Hazard stays, then he will be the starter on the left and Pulisic will likely take the right.
But if Hazard leaves, the scale shifts. Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic versus Willian and Pedro is a far fairer fight than any that includes Hazard. And if Chelsea wants to keep Hudson-Odoi, they need to trust the talent he has shown. Any new winger to replace Hazard would likely mean Hudson-Odoi will again push for the exit.
Chelsea does not need to commit to Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, Willian, and Pedro as the wingers for next season yet though. Maurizio Sarri has six months to reveal if that is the right course of action. Hudson-Odoi’s playing time should increase from the first half of the season and he should be used against tougher opposition more frequently. Then, the Blues can both earn Hudson-Odoi’s faith back and judge whether he is capable of filling in for Hazard next season.
Putting trust into Hudson-Odoi allows the Blues to devote the Hazard transfer fee to other pursuits. Namely, a striker. If Chelsea flips that cash into a young, dynamic striker and flanks that player with Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic, the Blues will have a front three that can take them through the next five plus years.
The plan would not be without risks (but neither would be replacing Hazard with a world class left winger). Pedro and Willian are aging, and a sudden drop off in form could leave the Blues in a hole next season. Hudson-Odoi could prove to have hit a ceiling already. Pulisic could struggle to adapt to English football.
But without risks, there is no reward. Chelsea should trust in Bayern Munich’s pursuit of Hudson-Odoi. It would be a statement by the Blues to avoid spending the Hazard money while putting faith in Hudson-Odoi to fill the need. Chelsea does not need to look at the market right away; they need only try out what they have first.