Feature: Eden Hazard could be the solution to Chelsea’s striker search

The grin on Eden Hazard's face was plain for all to see, as he slotted away his second, and Chelsea's third, at Brighton on Saturday.

The Belgian was in his element, and he clearly didn't want the party to stop. Within the hour he was telling reporters about how he could help end Chelsea's striking crisis.

“We have two very good strikers in Alvaro and Michy,” he said. “If they are not ready to play I can play striker, so I don't think we need [another one].”

If his run for that defence-defying goal had taken him off all expected flight paths, then his comments had taken him even further. Because Chelsea have spent pretty much all of this transfer window, so far, being linked with any striker in Europe.

Actually, scotch that: any striker in Europe over 6ft 2ins tall.

Having seen their interest in the 6ft 4ins Andy Carroll ended by an ankle injury, the latest target seems to be Roma's Bosnian giant Edin Dzeko. The story regarding the 6ft 4ins forward goes thus: Chelsea are to make a double swoop for he and Brazilian left back Emerson Palmieri.

So how does Hazard's dismissal of such deals square with Chelsea's, and boss Antonio Conte's, apparent desperation to get a new target man in?

There is a huge amount of boundless speculation in any transfer window. But as well as height, there appears to be a second red line when it comes to this January's up-front targets at Chelsea: they want experience. This seems to be, in part, a recognition of the shortage of this available to Morata at this point in time: Conte has been at pains to point out that the Spaniard is only 25, and is in his first full season as a first choice number nine. But it is also clearly an indication of the short-term nature of any striker purchase they make.

The scratching of heads at the £44m reportedly on offer for Dzeko and Palmieri largely misses the point. When viewed as £34m for Palmieri (well within the parameters of what Chelsea like to spend on a fullback), and £10m for Dzeko, it makes a lot more sense.

At 31 Dzeko cannot, according to Chelsea's long-stated rules, be signed on any more than a one-year contract. Realistically, they only need him until May: to provide cover for Morata when he is injured, suspended, or just off the boil. And, at around £10m, they could then sell him on at no major loss in the summer. Or, should things go spectacularly well, hand him another year to sit on the bench in London.

Hazard's future at Chelsea has long been paired with the longer-term prospects of Conte: who himself is looking almost certain to be moving on in the summer. So it would be easy to judge Hazard's no-new-striker comment as riding against the wishes of his boss, and establishing clear blue water between he and a man headed pretty clearly for pastures new. Instead, it may make more sense to view what Hazard has said through the prism of a man who has just scored a couple of cracking goals, and is really enjoying his game.

He wants no change, and can see no reason for it.

A move for Dzeko, or a similarly aged striking opting, provides no change: only back-up to what is already there.

As long as Hazard plays the way he did on Saturday, Hazard will get his wish; but Chelsea will also get their striker.

And both should end up pretty happy with that situation.