Stats analysis: Is Thorgan Hazard fit to join Eden at Chelsea?

News has emerged in the German press from Bild that Chelsea are among a number of Premier League suitors for Thorgan Hazard this month. 

The 24-year-old is the younger brother of Blues star Eden and a fellow Belgium international, but how do his numbers stack up and is he really of the calibre the Stamford Bridge faithful have come to expect? 

There are some that will view such rumours as little more than a way to curry favour with the winger’s elder sibling, in an attempt to convince the 27-year-old to stay put. It’s certainly hard not to suggest as much given Thorgan’s modest numbers since signing for Gladbach in 2014. 

While it’s true that the Belgian is top scorer for the Bundesliga outfit this season, helping the Foals to fourth ahead of the winter break, his tally of six goals is still relatively modest. 

It’s even relatively underwhelming when you consider more than half of said strikes (4) have come from the penalty spot, considering he’d do well to wrestle said duties from his brother should he make the move to West London. 

As far as Eden’s greatest strength is concerned, Thorgan simply doesn’t match up either. Not by a long way in fact. 

The Chelsea star’s dazzling dribbling ability has been a real blessing to the Premier League but the Gladbach man is far less effective in that regard. Not only does the junior of the two average less than a quarter of the dribbles of his brother (1.1 to 4.6) but his success rate of is hugely inferior 31% to Eden’s 80.4%. Indeed, while the latter is the best of all players to attempt 50 dribbles or more, the former is the very worst. 

So then, even if Thorgan is three years younger and has shown some promise in Germany it’s fair to say he’s nowhere near the standard set by his superstar sibling. 

A different type of player, perhaps, but it’s worth remembering at 24 the Chelsea man was named PFA Player of the Year en route to the Premier League title in 2015. 

A Hazard warning then, that a move for Thorgan isn’t one that should cause excitement among the Blues fanbase.