Chelsea: Who will be Eden Hazard’s replacement going forward?
Ever since Eden Hazard’s departure from Chelsea, questions have arisen over who will fill his shoes.
The Blues have been searching for a replacement, but that player may already be in the squad without the club knowing it. Eden Hazard’s exit has left a gap on the left wing, and Chelsea has yet to find a definitive starter at the position. Throughout the season, there has been a mix of players at left wing. Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Willan and Callum Hudson-Odoi have all split time at left wing. But who is best suited to replace Hazard going forward?
Mason Mount
Mount has had a great first season at the Bridge. He’s made 41 appearances across all competitions for the Blues, netting six goals and assisting five. Mount is a player with a lot of promise, considering the fact he is only 21 years old. Some fans already consider Mount as Hazard’s replacement. Mount has a lot of pace and is a very good dribbler, much like the Belgian. Mount has had the second most goal involvements and has taken the second-most shots in the first team.
Like Hazard, Mount has been taking the majority of the corners for Chelsea this season. The versatile Englishman has the highest corner accuracy on the team, connecting on 47 percent of corner kicks. The 21-year-old is key in the passing game as well. He’s completed just above 40 key passes, only second to Willian. Lampard understands Mount more than anyone on the coaching staff bar maybe Jody Morris. With Lampard already knowing what Mount is capable of due to their two full seasons together, he likely has a vision for Mount’s future.
Christian Pulisic
Pulisic has put together a solid campaign for the Blues during his first season, when on the pitch. He battled the injury bug, making only 23 appearances across all competitions. Pulisic’s age is the same as Mount and the stats are identical. They are both 21 years old. The only difference in the stats is an extra assist for Pulisic.
He came into Chelsea to be his own player. Pulisic was brought to the Premier League for a hefty fee, which means Chelsea has a vision of him in its long-term plan. Like Mount, Pulisic is agile with great dribbling skills. When on the field, Pulisic is a difference maker. The young American is very good at finding ways to pass multiple defenders and has a high soccer IQ. The one thing that should concern fans thinking he is the next Hazard though is his injury history.
Pulisic has been at Chelsea for nearly one-year and he has missed 15 matches already. That is not very Hazard-esque as he would take many hard knocks and would rarely miss matches. The 21-year-old already has a similar skillset to Hazard, but now it is about becoming stronger and preventing injuries whenever possible. Pulisic has nearly missed as many games this season as Hazard did in his Chelsea career. By all means, Pulisic can be the next Hazard, but first, he must gain some strength and muscle.
Willian
Willian was a teammate of Hazard for many years. Things always clicked between the two in the past, as they play the same similarly. But, when Hazard departed for Madrid, Willian took the responsibility of being the next No. 10 for the Blues.
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Although his future with the club is uncertain, Willian can maintain his Hazard-like qualities if he stays. Willian is another one of Chelsea’s wingers who is very fast and has good on-ball control. Willian has added qualities that none of the other players listed here have: age and mentorship. With the Brazilian being one of the older players on the team, he has also matured a lot throughout his time in west London. Willian has the added experience and knows what it takes to win trophies. If Willian were ever to be considered as Chelsea’s next Eden Hazard, it would be for the short-term as he is 31 years old and heavily linked with an exit this coming summer.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Hudson-Odoi spent much of the season’s opening months recovering from injury. He made 25 appearances across all competitions for the Blues’ first team. Hudson-Odoi, like Mount and Pulisic, is very young. The English winger is only 19 years old. He is having a solid season thus far scoring four times and assisting six goals. Many believe Hudson-Odoi has enough talent to be Hazard’s replacement, look no further than his wages to verify that. Hudson-Odoi has one of the brightest futures amongst any of Chelsea’s young core.
He really got his breakthrough towards the end of last season. From the time the youngster made his first team debut up until his major injury, he produced high quality football on a regular basis. He made a name for himself on the pitch, earning links to Bayern Munich. It has been a shaky comeback as he has not gotten back to full form yet, but when he does, he can finally get back to torching defenses and blazing by defenders.
The 19-year-old is set to make a major impact going forward. He has the speed, agility and skills needed to lead a team, like Hazard. What he lacks is in his decision making and strength. If Hudson-Odoi can improve in those two areas by the time he is 24 or so, there will be talk of Hudson-Odoi taking reigns as the Blues’ next great winger.
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Chelsea has many options for who can be the next Hazard-like figure. In the short term, Willian will be the west Londoners’ Hazard. But in the long term, it is all about who will breakthrough as a star first. With three potential long-term candidates, it is only a matter of time before we know who will be designated as Chelsea’s next superstar.