Drogba: Chelsea 'legend' Hazard cannot be replaced

Didier Drogba believes Eden Hazard will be impossible to replace at Chelsea, but is confident another player will step up to the mark.

Eden Hazard will be considered a legend at Chelsea, who will find it impossible to directly replace the Belgian, according to Didier Drogba.

Hazard left Chelsea earlier this month, making a long-awaited move to La Liga giant Real Madrid in a deal that could rise to €140 million.

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The 28-year-old departed Stamford Bridge having scored 21 goals across all competitions last season, helping Chelsea to a third-placed Premier League finish and the Europa League title.

Hazard's departure has come at a difficult time for the Blues, who are currently appealing a transfer ban which would prohibit them from signing players for the next two windows.

Christian Pulisic was brought in from Borussia Dortmund in January before being loaned back to the Bundesliga side for the remainder of the campaign and will likely take up Hazard's spot in the starting XI.

And though insisting Hazard is irreplaceable, Drogba believes Chelsea will eventually find a way to adapt to life without its star man, who had been at the club since 2012.

"No one can replace Hazard, he is special," Drogba said during an Instagram Live on his official account on Saturday. "But someone else will come, [and] step up. Hazard is a legend at Chelsea. That's life, that's football."

Chelsea is currently without a manager after Maurizio Sarri left to join Juventus.

Blues icon Frank Lampard is reportedly the front-runner for the job, following an impressive season at the helm of Derby County, and Drogba has backed his former team-mate as the best candidate.

"Well, the one who is in line to get the job, I think Lampard," Drogba added when asked for his thoughts on who should take over at Stamford Bridge.