{"id":1087426,"date":"2019-05-04T14:30:14","date_gmt":"2019-05-04T13:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1087426"},"modified":"2019-05-04T14:30:14","modified_gmt":"2019-05-04T13:30:14","slug":"messi-ronaldo-replace-hazard-chelsea-wayne-bridge","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/messi-ronaldo-replace-hazard-chelsea-wayne-bridge\/","title":{"rendered":"“Only Messi or Ronaldo could replace Eden Hazard at Chelsea” – Wayne Bridge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wayne Bridge believes only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could replace what Chelsea will lose in Eden Hazard.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 28-year-old Belgian forward is heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer with Real Madrid continually touted as his likely destination.<\/p>\n

A modern Chelsea legend. Five things to know\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Hazard joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012 for a reported fee of \u00a332m.<\/li>\n
  2. He’s since gone on to make 348 appearances for The Blues in all competitions registering 108 goals and 88 assists.<\/li>\n
  3. Hazard has won two Premier League titles and two domestic cups.<\/li>\n
  4. He is Chelsea’s leading Premier League goalscorer this season with 16 goals and is the only player under Maurizio Sarri in double figures.<\/li>\n
  5. Hazard could be named as this season’s Premier League ‘assist king’, he is one behind Bournemouth’s Ryan Fraser who sits on 14.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7246453-like-a-broken-mirror-man-utd-s-top-knot-curse-lingers-on<\/p>\n

    Hazard, who joined Chelsea from Lille in 2012, has just a over a year left on his present contract and despite an impending transfer ban the general feeling is that he’s playing the final games of an illustrious Blues career.<\/p>\n

    Since turning up in west London he’s played a pivotal role in Chelsea winning two Premier League titles as well as a Europa League title.<\/p>\n

    If what many predict happens then Maurizio Sarri will have an Eden Hazard hole to fill and according to former Blues left-back Bridge there’s only two active footballers who can seamlessly fill that void.<\/p>\n

    https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=J05bCIwJewc<\/p>\n

    Subscribe to Squawka\u2019s Youtube channel here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    “If Chelsea lose Hazard, I don’t know how they could replace him,” he told Goal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    “I couldn’t think who they would sign because Hazard is one of the best players in the world. I would think only Messi or Ronaldo could replace him. I think if they do lose him, they can’t replace him.<\/p>\n

    “That’s why I worry that Chelsea could struggle even more than they are doing at the moment. He has been a huge part of the club’s season with goals and assists. I would love to see Hazard stay to help the club compete and he has been so good for the league, but we don’t know what will happen.”<\/p>\n

    A triumphant send-off?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    If Hazard is to leave this summer then he’s got a maximum of four matches left in his Chelsea spell. To date he’s made 348 appearances for The Blues registering 108 goals and 88 assists in all competitions.<\/p>\n

    Remaining for Hazard and company are two Premier League matches: Watford (home) on May 5 and Leicester City (away) on May 12. If they win both then Chelsea will guarantee Champions League football returning to Stamford Bridge next season.<\/p>\n

    Sandwiched in between those league fixtures is their Europa League semi-final second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt — Sarri’s men hold the advantage having returned from Germany with a 1-1 draw.<\/p>\n

    If they are to reach the Baku final on May 29 — against city rivals Arsenal or Valencia — then Hazard could, if this is a goodbye, leave with a piece of silverware.<\/p>\n