Chelsea playmaker Cesc Fabregas has hailed fellow teammate Eden Harzard, hailing the Belgian star as the Blues very own Lionel Messi.
Harzard shone for the west London club last season and was at his best in the 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
It was the Belgian who changed the complexion of the match with a driving run to win a first-half penalty, which he coolly converted himself.
And speaking to Radio Cope ahead of Spain’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Slovakia, he declared Harzard as Chelsea’s difference-maker.
“Hazard has that incredible ability to unsettle the opposition,” explained Fabregas, who joined Chelsea for £27 million in the summer.
“He is the link between midfield and attack for us; he is our Messi because he makes the difference.”
And Fabregas is confident that he and Hazard can lead the Blues into a bold new era, stating: “We have a young team but we are very positive about the future.”
Fabregas arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer after being told he could leave Barcelona, and with Arsenal passing up their first option on the World Cup winner.
But he explained that his decision to team up with Jose Mourinho – for so long a rival – was made very quickly.
“It was during the last season that the Chelsea option began to look like the best one for me,” added the Spainard. “[Arsene] Wenger had my position well covered with [Mesut] Ozil, Santi [Cazorla] and [Jack] Wilshere. It was the position he needed least and so I chose Chelsea even though Arsenal had the first option.
“My first meeting with Mourinho was face to face. There was a lot of respect and he convinced me very quickly. We were very honest with each other that everything that had happened [between Barcelona and Real Madrid] was now in the past.
“My mind was made up talking to him. Of the three options I had in England I told him that I had made my mind up.”