Is this player really the man to turn Arsenal’s fortunes around?
The name is reminiscent of a garden project in Cornwall and a potentially dangerous situation, but Eden Hazard is no joke when it comes to football where he is achieving huge critical acclaim from across the world.
At the mere age of 20 years old, the Belgian youngster has become one of the hottest names in French football, being one of Lille’s best players and representing his national team. He is currently the reigning holder of the Young Player of the Season award in the French Ligue One and is the only non-Frenchman to win it, as well as being the first to win it twice. The 5 foot 7 inch attacking midfielder has already been compared to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Arsenal are currently missing that final piece in their puzzle, after coming so close yet being so far from winning trophies this season, with the Premier League still there but currently hanging in the balance. They lacked a killer instinct against Birmingham City which cost them the Carling Cup and were blown away by an incredible Barcelona side in the Champions League. They have slipped up on occasions in the league this season where they could easily have won games, all because (you feel) they needed just that final player that can produce something out of nothing or set up something out of nothing.
Hazard has been described by Zinedine Zidane as “technically gifted and very fast” and he feels that “he will be a major star in the future” which is incredible praise to receive from arguably one of the best midfielders in world football history. Hazard is famed in France for his creativity, speed and technical ability; his flair is sensational and it has led to him already having a very interesting career despite hardly beginning his adult years. He has so far scored 14 goals in 99 appearances for Lille, although not being a large tally, it is still impressive for a budding young midfielder who certainly has a lot to offer.
The question of whether he will fill that final missing gap in Arsenal’s team is one that can be easily decided. He has so much to offer as an individual player and under Arsene Wenger and his very unique and special treatment of nurturing young stars, it could be a promising future for young Hazard. He has the foundations to build into something very big, especially under the guidance of players like Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal, who has matured and become an influential world figure in such a short time, after being in very similar shoes to Hazard’s himself.
The only downside to Hazard in terms of the Arsenal side, is that he lacks experience which has certainly been Arsenal’s downfall this season. The Arsenal squad is already very young, with age certainly not being a common theme in a young dressing room. This lack of experience has certainly cost Arsenal, with the example of the Carling Cup final loss cropping up once again with it being such an ideal example of highlighting this struggle for them. Experience cost them in a game that they should have won and it cost them a trophy. Hazard is very young, so whether he is the answer to Arsenal’s problems or not is certainly questionable. He may not be an answer as such, but he is certainly a massive prospect in a squad that lacks a killer instinct.
However, Arsenal are not the only team chasing the firing hot midfielder’s signature, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid all being quoted as further interested parties. To further dampen the attention, he has recently signed a contract extension at Lille until 2015, stating that he is “with Lille 100%”. Nowadays, contracts are often signed and abandoned, with his signing off comment being “but in football nothing is certain” so it certainly does not deter the likes of Arsenal from chasing the young star.
If Arsenal can gain the signature of Eden Hazard, he certainly has the potential to be an international superstar. Whether he is the answer to Arsenal’s current problems with experience and consistency, it is questionable, but he can certainly fill a missing gap in an Arsenal side that have been found wanting.
