Ander Herrera considers Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba to be in a quality bracket alongside the likes of Eden Hazard and Antoine Griezmann.
The Spaniard got a good look at Chelsea’s star forward during a Premier League fixture on Sunday, with Jose Mourinho asking him to do a man-marking job on the Belgian.
Darmian: Rashford can join the elite
Herrera got the better of that battle, making one goal and scoring the other as United beat the Blues 2-0 at Old Trafford in a contest which saw Hazard make little impact.
He is, however, considered to be among the world’s best, with Herrera conceding that he occupies a standing just below Barcelona and Real Madrid icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“In my opinion he [Hazard] has been the best player in the league this year,” Herrera told NBC.
“He’s one of the best in the world. After Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo you have Neymar, Hazard, Griezmann and Paul [Pogba].”
Hazard is among the contenders for the 2016-17 PFA Player of the Year award.
Pogba has been overlooked on that list, with the France international yet to produce his best on a consistent basis following a record-breaking £89 million transfer to United.
Herrera is clearly confident that there is more to come from the midfielder, while he is also an admirer of a man who continues to be heavily linked with a summer move to the Premier League.
Griezmann has been starring again for Atletico Madrid this season and will be in England on Tuesday as he looks to help his current club past Leicester City and into the Champions League semi-finals.