"He was pretty much unplayable" – Danny Welbeck names 'unbelievable' ex-Chelsea star as best player he has played against

Danny Welbeck has heaped praise on Eden Hazard.
Danny Welbeck has heaped praise on Eden Hazard.

Brighton & Hove Albion star Danny Welbeck has named ex-Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard as the best footballer he has played against.

Hazard, 32, etched himself in the Blues' history during his seven-year stint due to his excellent performances on the left flank. After arriving from Lille for a fee in the region of £32 million in 2012, he helped his erstwhile club lift six trophies, including two Premier League titles.

A right-footed winger renowned for shooting and dribbling, the Belgian scored 110 goals and contributed 92 assists in 352 games across all competitions for Chelsea. He was also adjudged the 2014-15 Premier League Player of the Year after guiding Jose Mourinho's side to the title.

When asked to name the best star he has faced, Welbeck told GOAL:

"The best player I played against, I would have to go with Hazard. When he was at Chelsea, he was unbelievable. His balance, his agility, his movement. He was pretty much unplayable."

Since moving to Real Madrid for around £103 million in 2019, Hazard has failed to replicate his old form. Due to a host of injury issues, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Silver Ball winner has fallen out of favor of late.

Hazard, who has a contract until June 2024 at the Santiago Bernabeu, has registered just seven goals and 12 assists in 74 matches for his club.

Chelsea urged to appoint former PSG boss

Speaking to SpilXperten, ex-Manchester United star Paul Parker urged Chelsea to appoint former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino as their full-time manager. He said:

"They should do everything in their power to get Pochettino. He is the perfect manager for them. Many were criticising him after he left PSG, which is miserable. That club is outrageous and if you're not winning the Champions League, well, you're going to be sacked."

Sharing his thoughts on the Argentine's time in London, Parker added:

"He did amazingly well during his time at Tottenham though. He got them into the top four, he took them to the Champions League final and the fans absolutely loved him. He plays entertaining football and he could end up doing big things at Chelsea from next season."

The Blues have earmarked former Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique and former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann as ideal options.

Following Graham Potter's departure earlier this month, the Stamford Bridge outfit appointed Frank Lampard as their caretaker head coach.

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