Official: Thorgan Hazard Joins RSC Anderlecht

Following his short-term loan move to PSV Eindhoven, Thorgan Hazard has now departed BVB permanently in a move to Belgian side RSC Anderlecht.

The transfer took some time to negotiate, with Anderlecht moving late for Hazard, and the player requiring some convincing to leave what was a reasonably comfortable situation for him at BVB. Hazard had staked a decent claim for rotation minutes following a strong preseason, and with one year left on his contract, he could afford to ride it out and leave at the conclusion of the season. An argument could be made that BVB will need Hazard this season, as his versatility made him a serviceable albeit non-ideal backup at fullback. Hazard also retains excellent spacial awareness and a strong finish, but as the other areas of his game have waned, so has his importance to this squad.

Hazard showed glimpses of the talent that BVB purchased him for during his tenure with the club, but he could never fully justify his €25 million fee. Hazard, like others who have come and gone, was certainly a victim of the managerial carousel that BVB has experienced over the last five seasons, never fully adopting a system or establishing himself as irreplaceable in one particular position. It is disappointing to think of what could have been for Hazard at BVB, had circumstances allowed him to thrive.

If you read our “Bad Predictions” article, you may recall that my bad prediction called for Hazard to have a BVB renaissance this season. Unfortunately, that storyline was not meant to be for the Belgian, and a €4 million fee will see his time in Black and Yellow come to an end.

How will Hazard’s departure affect the depth charts? Could BVB turn to academy product Guille Bueno to fill the void? Let us know in the comments.