Enzo Maresca has not only led Chelsea to a stunning Club World Cup triumph this summer, but he has also significantly bolstered his first-team squad.
With the likes of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro impressing stateside, the latter notably scoring three in three matches, plus Jamie Gittens and Estevao ready to make their mark, Maresca is brewing something special at Stamford Bridge.
While these signings could prove to be vital should Chelsea wish to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League next season, the Italian is still on the hunt for more.
His centre-forward options are far more varied now, as too are his wing options, but Maresca must be keen on adding another playmaker to his squad.
Cole Palmer is fantastic, but he can’t do everything on his own. Not only that, should the Englishman continue to shine throughout the upcoming campaign, it might be hard for the Blues to keep him next summer.
As such, signing another youngster who has the capability to grow is at the forefront of Maresca’s thoughts.
That certain someone could turn out to be another version of Eden Hazard. His signing in 2012 paved the way for the Belgian to become one of the finest attacking midfielders of his generation.
What made Eden Hazard so special
Chelsea’s status as Champions League winners in the summer of 2012 certainly helped in their pursuit of the best talent around.
Hazard helped Lille win Ligue 1 in the 2010/11 campaign, but it was performances the following year which caught Chelsea’s eye.
Indeed, the winger scored 20 goals and grabbed 18 assists in Ligue 1, emerging as one of the brightest talents on the continent in the process.
Hazard settled in nicely at the Blues, especially during Jose Mourinho’s second spell with the club between 2013 and 2015. His 24 goal contributions in the Premier League during the 2014/15 season saw the Stamford Bridge side win their first title in five years.
It wasn’t just under Mourinho that Hazard shone. The winger was arguably the key to Antonio Conte’s system which saw the Blues win the league title in 2016/17. Even in his last season at the club, Hazard scored 21 goals and won his second Europa League trophy.
Overall, the playmaker netted 110 goals and registered 88 assists for Chelsea across 352 matches.
His sublime dribbling abilities, dynamism in the final third and turning up for the big matches not only endeared Hazard to the supporters but also ensured he goes down as a modern club legend.
It can be argued that Chelsea haven’t quite had a playmaker like him since his departure in 2019 to Real Madrid. Of course, Palmer has been sensational, but Hazard’s creativity and natural talent made him a true joy to watch.
Could Maresca finally land Hazard 2.0 for the Blues in the coming weeks?
Chelsea eyeing move for Dutch sensation
Maresca has focused on bolstering his options in the final third so far this summer but with Palmer running the rule over the number ten position since joining in 2023, the club haven’t sought to add any more playmakers to the squad.
This could change soon, however, as the manager is keen on exploring a move for Xavi Simons, according to journalist Simon Phillips.
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Via his Substack, Phillips discussed Chelsea’s interest in the Dutchman, first declaring that while Arsenal are interested in the midfielder, they are focusing on signing Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze instead.
Phillips continued: “Sources feel Chelsea could have come in and snapped Simons up by the time that happens anyway. So this one is certainly brewing up and all connected. Further to this, our sources have heard that Simons ‘would love to join Chelsea’ this window, so there would be no problem on the player side. Chelsea, expected to make more enquiries on Simons this week now.”
The RB Leipzig starlet has been valued by his club at a staggering £95m, according to other reports.
It’s a lot of money, sure, but if they do manage to seal his signature, Maresca might just have his very own Hazard.
Why Chelsea must sign Xavi Simons
While Hazard operated on the left flank for the majority of his career, Simons has shown plenty of similarities to the Belgian, especially regarding his displays for Leipzig, where he has played on the left and as an attacking midfielder.
Indeed, the Dutchman can count dribbling, key passes and through balls as his key strengths, according to WhoScored, while regarding his style of play, he loves to dribble and regularly gets fouled due to his attacking prowess.
This echoes the skills that Hazard used to demonstrate at Stamford Bridge during his seven years in London.
Last season, Simons scored 11 goals in all competitions for the German side, recording eight assists in the process. Once again, exuding the talents that Hazard was famed for, being clinical in the final third.
Not only that, but Simons also ranked in the top 3% for through balls (0.96) per 90 in the Bundesliga when compared to his positional peers, while he also ranked in the top 6% for progressive passes (5.86) and in the top 3% for carries into the final third (2.97) per 90 last season.
Goals
10
Assists
7
Key passes per game
2
Big chances created
12
Successful dribbles per game
1.3
Shots per game
2
Still only 22, it feels as though Simons has been around forever. Last summer, respected analyst Ben Mattinson not only hailed the youngster as a “superstar”, but also declared that he could be “one of the best in the world in the future” just prior to the 2024 European Championship.
He has certainly proven his worth since then, and it is evident that a move to the Premier League would help enhance his reputation and improve him further as a player.
If Maresca can land Simons in the coming weeks, it might just be the final piece of his attacking jigsaw at Chelsea.
The comparisons with Hazard are impressive. Could he have the same sort of impact as the Belgian? Only time will tell.
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