Eden Hazard: Manchester United Makes Most Sense for Lille Star

If Eden Hazard wants to play "as a true No. 10" for a winning club, as he's suggested to HLN, then he will take his much-desired services to northwestern England to play for Manchester United.

Even if it means having to play without the shirt to match his position.

The chances of a 21-year-old Belgian, even one as prodigiously gifted as Hazard, wresting that number away from Wayne Rooney, who currently sports it so proudly at Old Trafford, rest between slim and none. It was occasion enough that Sir Alex Ferguson brought the number out of retirement after it had last been worn by Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Not to mention the likes of Bobby Charlton, Mark Hughes and Denis Law before him.

Of course, if Hazard is good enough and loyal enough to the club, he can earn the number for himself, though it's not exactly becoming of his position. The No. 10 shirt at Man U is reserved for strikers, while Hazard is more of an attacking midfielder with the versatility and the skill to play on the wing.

And that's precisely what the Red Devils will need out of him. What's often lost amongst the chatter of United failing to win any end-of-season silverware and ceding the English Premier League throne to Manchester City is that they still managed to earn as many points as the "noisy neighbors," pocket books and all, with what might be kindly described as a makeshift midfield. The alternating absences of Tom Cleverley, Nani, Anderson and Darren Fletcher for Fergie to feature the aging Michael Carrick and the already-ancient Ryan Giggs, on top of pulling the legendary Paul Scholes out of retirement.

Who, by the way, has already signed on for another season.

Cleverley and Nani are both fine players whose combined presence propelled United to great heights at times this past season, but neither can claim the quality or the fitness that Hazard brings to the table. He can score goals (22 across all competitions) and create them (25 assists) with equal proficiency and proclivity. 

With him on board, United would likely be favored to knock City from their recently ascended perch and return to hoisting trophies in short order. After all, they weren't that far off this time around, even amidst setbacks of all sorts. As such, the climb back to the top isn't all that far for United, and would be all the shorter with a boost from Hazard.

If nothing else, it's only fitting that Hazard, who already plays for Belgium's Red Devils, should wear that moniker in England as well.

The choice, though, may ultimately come down to money, as these things tend to. His other two choices (City and Chelsea) are both coming off silverware successes of their own and have more riches to offer than do United, whose ownership is currently strapped for cash.

That's not to say Man U don't have the funds available to make Hazard a rich young man—just not the sheer mass of spoils that come under the thumb of Saudi oil magnates and Russian robber barons.

However, United do have plenty to offer that those other clubs don't: history, prestige and a prominent role on a side in search of redemption.

Because if Hazard chooses Old Trafford and leads United back to the top, he'll be more than just a winner.

He'll be a savior, a No. 10 in the truest sense of the word.

Even if he doesn't wear it.

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