Chelsea were ‘heavily reliant’ on Hazard claims pundit
Hazard is widely expected to join Real Madrid this summer for a fee of around £88million.
The Belgian was Chelsea’s leading goalscorer and assist maker in all competitions this season.
But Burley says they will need to find a way of working more as a team rather than relying on one player’s goals.
“I think the way Chelsea have to go now, because you’re not going to get his equal in, is that they have to try and somehow structure a team that’s not so reliant on one individual,” Burley said on ESPN FC.
I’m not saying he was the only one, but they were heavily reliant on him
Craig Burley on Chelsea star Eden Hazard
“I’m not saying he was the only one, but they were heavily reliant on him.
“And I think they’re going to have to go down a road where they’re going to have to share that burden around the squad a little bit more.
“Otherwise they’re going to be in trouble if they can’t do that.”
Burley says it is no shock that Eden Hazard will be leaving and claims Chelsea have bigger issues to overcome.
Chelsea need to not rely on one player following Eden Hazard's exit, says Craig Burley (Image: GETTY/ESPN)
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Burley says Chelsea have more problems than just Eden Hazard (Image: ESPN)
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Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek look set to be out for a while with Achilles injuries.
The club are currently appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over their two-window transfer ban.
And manager Maurizio Sarri has reportedly told the club he wants to leave.
“I don’t think this is any great surprise to Chelsea that [Hazard is going], probably six to 12 months ago was on the verge of going and they might have said to him ‘give us another year and we’ll let you have your move if the price is right’,” Burley continued.