On this day 2012: Chelsea sign a Premier League genius | OneFootball

On this day in 2012, Chelsea completed the signing of Eden Hazard from French club Lille.

The West Londoners beat off competition from Europe’s elite to land Hazard in a £32m deal. Hazard had excelled in Ligue 1, emerging as one of Europe’s best young talents at Lille.

He set new records as the first non-French winner of the division’s Young Player of the Year award, claiming that accolade in back-to-back seasons. The following year, he became the youngest winner of the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award after inspiring Lille to title success. It was another honour he retained a season later.

Newly-crowned European champions Chelsea won the race to sign Hazard and it was a deal that represented one of their finest of the Premier League era. Across seven spectacular seasons at Stamford Bridge, Hazard registered 198 goals and assists in 352 appearances and won six major trophies.

He was Chelsea’s Player of the Season on four occasions and named as the Premier League’s finest in 2014/15. Hazard won the PFA Player of the Year as Chelsea lifted the title, before starring in a second Premier League triumph in 2016/17.

The Belgian also twice lifted the Europa League with Chelsea. In the second of those successes, Hazard scored twice as London rivals Arsenal were thrashed 4-1 in the 2019 final.

It was his final appearance in Blue, before an ill-fated big-money move to Real Madrid. Injuries in Spain meant Hazard never again recaptured the brilliance of his time at Chelsea before a premature retirement from the game in 2023, aged just 32.

Those who watched him at his brilliant best in blue, however, witnessed one of the Premier League’s most watchable talents. Full of flair, balance, fleet footwork and deceptive strength, Hazard glided past players and scored some sensational goals for Chelsea.

Read – Moments that made the Premier League: Mourinho arrives at Chelsea

See more – The Premier League transfer stories to watch this week

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