Chris Sutton has stated that it has been a ‘long time’ since Aston Villa transfer target and Real Madrid superstar Eden Hazard was at his best ahead of Belgium’s World Cup opener, as he told BBC Sport.
Roberto Martinez’s side kick-off their 2022 World Cup campaign against Canada on Wednesday with a number of half-cooked players in their squad.
Kevin de Bruyne is cooking like never before and the Manchester City star is probably the best player in the world right now, but the same can’t be said for the injury-hit duo of Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.
Lack of form and injuries are the issues holding those two, with Hazard going through non-stop problems since he joined Real Madrid back in 2019.
Whilst there is talk of Aston Villa possibly wanting to sign the 31-year-old, Sutton made it clear that he is no longer that player he once was during his days in Chelsea colours.
“Going forward, there are a couple of doubts too,” said Sutton.
“Romelu Lukaku is carrying an injury and it feels like a long time since we saw Eden Hazard at his best – so they are probably not going into this World Cup as strong as they were at the last one.”
WINGER NEEDED…BUT NOT HAZARD
With Unai Emery now playing a system that suits wide players, such as Leon Bailey, who has been cooking since Steven Gerrard left, then another winger is now needed during the January transfer window.
Eden Hazard is a big name on paper, just like Philippe Coutinho was, but at the end of the day, Villa should look for fresher legs and look elsewhere.
Emery’s judgment should be backed and if he feels that player is Hazard, then fans will get behind it, but his big wages and his current situation at Real Madrid should be off-putting.
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