What can Real Madrid get by signing Eden Hazard?

In what was the perfect goodbye to the Stamford Bridge faithful, Eden Hazard put in a Man of the Match performance in the Europa League final as Chelsea eased to a 4-1 win over Arsenal, but just what are Real Madrid getting by signing the Belgian?

With just one solitary year left on his contract with the London club, Hazard will be available this summer, albeit not at the cut price that usually comes with signing a player in such a contractual situation.

His brace and one assist made the difference on a somewhat less than atmospheric night in the Azerbaijani capital city, but in a moment when his team lacked direction he switched from the left flank to a more central position and Arsenal couldn't handle him.

Hazard was graceful, he was quick and he was clinical. From his outrageous backheel flick to set Emerson Palmieri free into the penalty area in the first half, right through to his clever left-footed finish to secure the victory, the former Lille star was in sumptuous form.

It was only in the media scrum after the full-time whistle that he admitted that he thought his performance in the Baku showpiece was a 'goodbye' to the Blues, and following Florentino Perez's words on Tuesday, Real Madrid can begin to anticipate just what the 28-year-old will bring:

Lots of goals

Hazard brings to an end his final campaign with Chelsea having broken the 20-goal barrier for the season, the first time he has achieved such a feat. In total he has scored 21 goals and recorded 17 assists in the 2018/19 season and has moved himself into the grouping of players who guarantees goals. Los Blancos lost such a player in Cristiano Ronaldo and it undermined their season, Hazard's productivity will go some way to making up such a shortfall.

A mesmeric dribbler

Real Madrid have attacking players who have been more direct in the forms of Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale, yet Hazard will bring a totally different way of running with the ball. Despite his small frame, the Belgian is as graceful as anyone in possession of the football and his runs often leave defenders dizzy. His goal against West Ham was a prime example as he wriggled through multiple defenders, whilst Anfield was left stunned by his individual effort in the early rounds of the Carabao Cup.

An assist machine

The aforementioned 17 assists this term not only look fantastic on paper, but the nature of these contributions on the pitch is even more impressive. For a player of such immense natural ability, Hazard is rarely selfish. His moves into the penalty area often require multiple defenders to follow him, thus creating space for someone else to move into and you can be confident the Belgian will then put the ball into that area, just as he did for Pedro on Wednesday evening.

A 'Galactico' in every sense of the word

Hazard arrives at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu as a fully-fledged star of the global game. His fantastic work with Chelsea in recent seasons has made him a fixture in the list of elite players alongside Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi, and this also translates to publicity. Hazard is incredibly marketable and actually has the fourth highest market value according to 'Transfermarkt'. Not since the arrival of James Rodriguez have Los Merengues signed such a recognisable name, but Hazard is capable of breaking shirt-sale records in Madrid.

Experience and maturity

One of the misconceptions about Hazard is that he's a player who can turn his talent on and off, but that's simply not the case. In the time he's spent with Chelsea, the former Lille prodigy has matured into a true leader on the pitch and has led by example. Despite a media campaign against him in the immediate aftermath of Jose Mourinho's 2015 dismissal, Hazard has maintained his professionalism. He's led Belgium to a World Cup semi-final and Chelsea to two Premier League titles.

Despite wanting to leave for Madrid for years, the forward has never made life difficult for the Blues, nor has he made enemies of their supporters, he will leave with the good wishes of everyone involved with Chelsea. His leap in maturity is evident, and it's made him better on the pitch, and with a Real Madrid team that is packed with youth, Hazard will be the perfect addition.