Hazard a deserving Player of the Year — but he’s not fit for Real Madrid ... yet

The Chelsea forward won the PFA Player of the Year award on Sunday, but he is not ready to follow in the footsteps of previous winners with a lucrative transfer to Spain.

Eden Hazard’s role in Chelsea’s inevitable title triumph was recognized on Sunday evening when he was voted PFA Player of the Year by his peers. It was a thoroughly deserved award for the outstanding player in English football this season, and the 24-year-old has the potential to one day be in contention for the Ballon D'or too.

Hazard's chances of global recognition would increase with a move to one of the giants in Spain, and he appears to have captured the attention of Real Madrid judging by Zinedine Zidane’s comments last week in which he said he is “keeping an eye” on the forward.

The last two footballers of the year in England now play in Spain. Gareth Bale joined Real Madrid in a world record 86 million pound move in 2013, and Luis Suarez signed for Barcelona last summer in a £70 million transfer.

Despite Zidane’s fluttering eyelids, Hazard is highly unlikely to follow in their footsteps this summer. The Belgian has been the best player in the Premier League. His skill and guile are a joy to watch and his end product is constantly improving, with 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions this season.

But he would not get in the team at Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Who could he displace? Not Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo. Not Suarez, Lionel Messi or Neymar.