Paul Merson has claimed that he does not expect Eden Hazard to be a Chelsea player at the start of next season.
Hazard, 27, has been in sensational form at Stamford Bridge but there has been major speculation surrounding his future with Real Madrid constantly linked with signing the Belgium international.
Ex-Arsenal star Merson believes that the attacker will leave Chelsea at some point in 2019, claiming that Ross Barkley could be the man to fill his boots.
“[Barkley’s] a good player and Chelsea have a lot of games coming up in the new year. I don’t see Eden Hazard being there next season, and Barkley may be one of those that has to step up. I think the older he gets, the better he’ll get,” said Merson on the Sky Sports website.
OPINION
Chelsea are struggling to get themselves into the Premier League title race with Hazard, so what chance will they have without him? The 27-year-old is one of the best players in world football and at some point in his career he is bound to be on the move because the silverware is starting to dry up at bit at Stamford Bridge. Hazard will be in the final year of his contract next summer, so unless he pens a new agreement at the Bridge, there is a very good chance that he will be on his way out. Chelsea will find it almost impossible to find someone as good as him to replace him and although Merson thinks he is, Barkley is not the answer. They are two different type of attacking midfielders, with Hazard operating more as a forward than anything else. The Belgian has made 22 appearances in all competitions this season for Chelsea, scoring 12 goals in the process. Blues fans may need to soak up every minute he plays for the club between now and the end of the campaign, because they could be his final ones.