Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has lit up the Premier League this season with a collection of fantastic individual performances that begs the question whether he is the best player in the division.
The Belgian international, 24, was named PFA Young Player of the Season in 2013/14, and has since gone from strength to strength in the Blues attack. Hazard was signed for £32M from French Ligue 1 club Lille, and is now really showcasing the potential that has vindicated such a large transfer fee for a then-21-year-old.
This season, he’s scored nine goals and made five assists in 25 league games played. Hazard hasn’t missed a game in the top-flight this season, and has made a telling impact. In the Premier League, no player has created more chances (67), no player has made more successful dribbles (113), and no player has been fouled more than the Chelsea man (74) this season.
Hazard isn’t just a brilliant playmaker, he’s also a polished footballer. The 24-year-old averages nearly 55 passes per game in the league for Chelsea, and boasts a pass completion ration of just shy off 88%. For a winger who creates so many opportunities in games, that’s very impressive.
Decision-making is always something that will set about the truly great players, and Hazard has produced consistent performances week after week in all competitions. He seldom gives the ball away, he remains a team player despite being a great dribbler of the ball, and he has an end product to his game.
Starting out in the #17 shirt, Hazard is now Chelsea’s #10, and is making his case to be the best player in the Premier League. The likes of Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Sergio Aguero (Man City) and Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea) will have some say on the matter, but there are few players who are a consistent threat game after game like the Belgian.
He shines in the big games, he delivers in the must-win matches, and he’s got an ice cool composure on the ball too. His discipline is on point, and his work rate has considerably improved. After signing a new long-term deal with Chelsea, it would be little surprise if his asking price pushed near the £100M mark in years to come. Hazard looks like a Ballon d’Or winner in the making with how impressively he’s continued to improve every season.
At the age of 24, he’s already won a host of personal accolades, such as:
Lille
UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year (2): 2010–11, 2011–12
UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year (2): 2008–09, 2009–10
UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year (3): 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
Chelsea
PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2013–14
PFA Team of the Year (2): 2012–13, 2013–14
Chelsea Player of the Year (1): 2013–14
So is Eden Hazard the best in the Premier League?
