Shaka Hislop has claimed that Newcastle United summer transfer target Eden Hazard has looked a ‘whole lot better’ for Real Madrid this season, as he told ESPN
An injury to Karim Benzema during Real Madrid’s Champions League tie at Celtic in midweek opened the door for Hazard to earn more minutes, as he scored and assisted for his team for that game and Hislop thinks it’s still a big ask for the former Chelsea man to fill his teammate’s shoes.
In 2019, Hazard left the bright and expensive lights of the Premier League to start a new chapter in his career, as the Spanish giants paid a £150 million for his talents. (BBC Sport).
That five-year contract he signed is still running and it seemed more likely that he would be out of the door, rather than signing another deal.
When the 2022 summer transfer window was open, there was talk of the 31-year-old possibly returning to England, with the now-big pockets of Newcastle and Champions League-chasing Arsenal looking at possibly signing him.
If Hazard wants to change his career around in Madrid, then he has to get going now, as Hislop shared now he has the chance to do so because of Benzema’s recent injury.
“This doesn’t come as a surprise for me to say, Hazard hasn’t lived up to expectations,” said Hislop. “But he has looked a whole lot better since.
“We will see how he copes with his injuries and whether he can find his form. Losing somebody like Karim Benzema, it’s not easy for anybody to replace. Even if you are Real Madrid.
“You are asking someone to step up knowing they can’t step up to that job fully. Barcelona would struggle to do the same with Lewandowski.
“It’s a significant chance for Hazard to put his issues behind him and we will see how long of a run in the team he gets. There is no questioning that he was once a very good footballer and he’s not had the opportunity to show that again.”
WILL HAZARD RETURN TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
It’s where he played his best football and the two-time Premier League winner just hasn’t found that mojo again because he was one of the best in Europe, at the time.
The Belgium international will point towards injuries not helping him because he has had no luck in that regard.
But, with Benzema on the sidelines for the time being, if Hazard doesn’t produce, nor step up his performances this season, then talk of a Premier League return will be on the cards again.
Perhaps he needs the 2022 World Cup to re-find his magic? Hazard is a certain pick for Roberto Martinez and, at the 2018 World Cup, he was the best player on show, so perhaps he can run back time in that regard.
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