Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba believes Eden Hazard has attained the height of becoming a Chelsea legend regardless of whether he leaves the club for Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The Belgium international’s existing deal is due to expire in June 2020 and Chelsea are keen to tie him down to a new five-year contract, making him the club’s highest paid player in the process.
Real Madrid’s interest represents a problem, though, as the £100 million-rated winger has admitted on more than one occasion that playing at the Santiago Bernabeu would be a dream for him, particularly with his idol Zinedine Zidane once more in charge in the Spanish capital.
Drogba is impressed with Hazard’s development since they played together roughly four years ago and feels the 28-year-old has become the undisputed key man at Stamford Bridge.
“He has become more clinical,” Drogba told Goal at Geneva Motorshow.
“It comes with age as well. He is very efficient and I am really happy to see that. He is leading the team, carrying the team on his shoulders and he is doing that well.
“He is someone who has got very high expectations of himself and his team-mates because he wants to win. Sometimes this pushes you to do a little bit more to do well because you want your team-mates to get to your level. This happens sometimes, but the more he plays in these big games, he reads the game better.
“He is a legend [regardless of what happens], look at what he achieved in six years at the club. He won the league twice, won the FA Cup, won Player of the Year. We are talking about Eden Hazard. Please!
“He brought something that we hadn’t seen for such a long time. The closest I can bring to him if I compare, if I may, is [Gianfranco] Zola. The talent to dribble, to make the difference and dribble one-versus-one. That’s him.”
