Later this month, former Chelsea star Eden Hazard is scheduled to return to the game, but not in the way that most people anticipated. The 32-year-old, who rose to fame during his time at Stamford Bridge and thrust himself into the spotlight, was once thought to be among the greatest in the world.
Hazard cemented his legacy at the club by contributing 92 assists and 110 goals in 352 games for the Blues. After leaving LOSC Lille, Hazard spent seven years in west London where he won two Premier Leagues, two Europa Leagues, an FA Cup, and an EFL Cup.
There was a lot of sadness around his departure for Real Madrid in 2019 because he was nothing less than the star player. That’s in spite of the £88 million fee paid for a star who was ultimately entering a trying time in his career, as would be evident later.
Hazard’s tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu was marred by injury problems, and his contract was terminated this summer as a result of declining playing time. The winger is now a free agent, and clubs are free to sign him on a free transfer, albeit they haven’t yet.
Since he was once a club legend, it has sparked a lot of conversation and rumors about a potential comeback to Chelsea in the upcoming weeks. While those are still up in the air, Hazard will soon make a comeback to football in some manner as he will play in a charity game later this month.
Beyond that, there might still be a place for him someplace, even though that might make any agreement he was looking to sign in the near future more difficult. There will need to be a bit of a wait to witness the star player don the illustrious blue shirt on the field if Stamford Bridge serves as the venue once more.
Due to constraints on squad registration, clubs are required to submit a 25-player roster by the middle of September that cannot be modified. Although Under-21s are exempt, it prevents the inclusion of more signings, forcing one to wait for the next open opportunity.
If Hazard were to return, there would be a few months of waiting before the transfer window reopens in January for the second half of the season. He will narrowly miss making his debut on December 30 against Luton Town in any deal.
