Chelsea beat Djurgarden 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of their Conference League semi-final to book their place in the final of the competition.
The Blues won 4-1 in the first leg away from home to give themselves a comfortable buffer heading into Thursday night's clash, and they will now face Real Betis in the final.
Enzo Maresca has the chance to win a European trophy, albeit not the Champions League or the Europa League, in his first season in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.
The former Leicester City boss also has the Blues in fifth place in the Premier League table, which means that they are on course to qualify for the Champions League.
enzo-maresca-chelsea-premier-league
Despite the success that Chelsea have had on the pitch, domestically and in Europe this term, the club are still set to be active in the summer transfer window to bolster the manager's options across the pitch.
A new winger could be on the agenda for the Premier League giants as they look to find their next version of Belgian wizard Eden Hazard on the flank.
Why Eden Hazard was a superstar for Chelsea
It is fair to say that the majority of Chelsea's supporters will think fondly of the diminutive magician when they think back on his career at the club, as he delivered so many brilliant performances for the Blues.
Signed from Lille in 2012, Hazard spent seven years in English football with the club and racked up 110 goals and 88 assists in 352 appearances in all competitions, which illustrates both the quality and the longevity of his career at Stamford Bridge.
As you can see in the clips above, the Belgian dynamo was a superstar for Chelsea because he had the talent to create something out of nothing with a moment of magic.
For all the talk of tactics and systems, which are important, Hazard was the kind of player who could go and win a game on his own by beating several players and creating or scoring a goal, which is just priceless in football.
|Eden Hazard's Premier League career|
|Season|Appearances|Goals|Assists|
|---|
|2018/19|37|16|15|
|2017/18|34|12|4|
|2016/17|36|16|5|
|2015/16|31|4|3|
|2014/15|38|14|9|
|2013/14|35|14|7|
|2012/13|34|9|11|
|Stats via Transfermarkt|
As you can see in the table above, the former Lille ace delivered consistent quality in six of his seven seasons in the Premier League, with at least 12 goals in five of those campaigns.
chelsea-eden-hazard-premier-league
Hazard was the kind of player Chelsea could look to in their lowest moments to drag them out of a hole with an electric run or a top-quality pass or finish, and Maresca could find his own version of the Belgian if the Blues can wrap up a deal for a player they are currently pursuing.
According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea have made contact with Italian giants Milan over a deal to sign Rafael Leao in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that initial talks are already underway between the two clubs over a move for the Portugal international, and that the Blues are the team with the most advanced interest in him.
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It states that fellow Premier League side Arsenal, who made the semi-finals of the Champions League this season, are also keen on the Serie A sensation, but they are yet to make contact with Milan.
CaughtOffside adds that a fee of £64m could be enough to tempt the Italian side into cashing in on the forward, but it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea are willing to pay that much for him.
AC Milan's Rafael Leao reacts
It is now down to the club to ensure that these talks end with a deal agreed for Leao because he is a player who has the potential to be Maresca's own version of Hazard next season and beyond.
Why Rafael Leao could be Chelsea's next Eden Hazard
Like the Belgian wizard, the Milan superstar is a right-footed forward who typically plays on the left flank, cutting in on his right foot to deliver goals and assists.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig described Leao as a "pure difference-maker" for the Italian side, which is also what Hazard was for Chelsea with his ability to score and create goals out of nothing.
Leao produced nine goals and nine assists in the Serie A last season and, as you can see in the clips above, he showcased his ability to produce magic moments in the final third on a regular basis.
As Hazard did for Chelsea, the Portuguese star has also delivered quality on a consistent basis over several seasons, with at least 12 goals and at least ten assists in all competitions in each of the last four seasons.
|Rafael Leao's form for AC Milan|
|Season (all comps)|Appearances|Goals|Big chances created|Assists|
|---|
|24/25|48|12|15|11|
|23/24|47|15|22|12|
|22/23|48|16|20|11|
|21/22|42|14|8|10|
|Stats via Sofascore|
As you can see in the table above, Leao has been a difference-maker for the Italian side at the top end of the pitch by providing goals and assists consistently from the left wing.
But it is not just the numbers, which are impressive, that suggest the £64m-rated star could be Chelsea's next version of Hazard, it is also the style in which he delivers quality for Milan.
The highlights above of his performance against PSG in the Champions League in 2023, for example, are Hazard-esque in the way he was marauding down the left flank, consistently taking on players with dribble attempts to get his team up the pitch.
Leao is a dynamic, exciting, forward who likes to take people on and be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch, and he has the goals and assists for Milan in the past four years to back up his exciting play with end product.
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Chelsea booked their place in the Europa Conference League final with a 5-1 aggregate win over Djurgarden.
Therefore, Leao has all the attributes and the play style to arrive at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea's new Hazard, whilst also having plenty of time left, at the age of 25, to build a similar legacy during his time at the club, if the Blues can strike a deal for him.