‘One of the best’: Eden Hazard says 32-year-old Tottenham sold his toughest opponent

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Eden Hazard has shared that former Tottenham Hotspur star and current Manchester City right-back, Kyle Walker, is his ‘toughest opponent’ from the Premier League, as the former Chelsea star revealed on ESPN.

The Real Madrid star also admitted that Walker, who has won four Premier League titles at the Etihad, is ‘faster and stronger than me’.

When Tottenham were flying high under Mauricio Pochettino, they had a number of great battles with Chelsea, as Hazard and Walker would have been at the heart of those Champions League-chasing tussles.

That would have continued when Walker secured a £45 million transfer from Spurs to the Premier League champions in 2017 (BBC Sport) – with Hazard exiting the Premier League scene in 2019.

It hasn’t gone to plan for Hazard in La Liga, with injuries and a lack of rhythm resulting in him, not standing still, but going backwards in his career.

But when the Belgium international was asked about his toughest opponent during his time in England, after puffing his cheeks, he put Walker’s name forward.

“Kyle Walker,” said Hazard. “He’s strong. He’s fast. I am strong and fast. But he is stronger than me and he is faster than me.

“As a right-back, I think he is one of the best, at the moment.”

WALKER THE PREMIER LEAGUE’S BEST-EVER RIGHT-BACK?

When putting forward the greatest-ever XI to have graced the Premier League era, both Hazard and Walker can be in that debate.

But can someone like Walker claim to be the best-ever right-back since 1992?

A certain footballer turned pundit, who now sits in the Sky Sports studios, would probably be the one who most would pick given his successes in Manchester United colours.

But Walker has a lot more attacking threat to his game than Gary Neville, as well as immense quality to stop the absolute best wingers in the game, to claim that he is the best right-back of the Premier League era.

Whatever argument is put forward, it needs to be remembered that the 32-year-old is playing some of his best football right now and there is plenty still left to come from the Englishman.