Eden Hazard
Hazard (left) has been identified as the ideal replacement for Robben. Getty Images

Chelsea winger Eden Hazard would be a more preferable replacement for Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich than Wolfsburg's Kevin de Bruyne, according to Frank Ribery.

Robben has played 21 league matches for the Bundesliga leaders this season but is currently out with an abdominal muscle problem, while the 31-year-old's current contract expires in 2017 with no sign of an extension being discussed.

Hazard penned a new five-and-a-half year contract in February after speculation linking him with a move away from Chelsea but despite that level of commitment Ribery says the Belgian represents the ideal successor to Ribery in Bavaria.

"He attacks all of the time. He loves to run at his opponent," he told German weekly Bild. "But he plays at Chelsea. This could be very expensive for Bayern."

On De Bruyne, who has netted nine goals and made 17 assists in 26 games for second place Wolfsburg this season, he added: "He's a super player, but when I see him I note that he's different to Arjen and me.

"He's not a player who takes the ball and starts dribbling, and likes to have the opponent in front of him.

"De Bruyne's super when he has the space on the counter attack, but at Bayern you usually only have three, four metres - no huge spaces. But he is a good player, and he is still young. He can still learn.

"Believe me, in this world, you won't find players like me or Arjen that easily, with all due respect.

"Of course, the club needs to contemplate about what happens once we have left, but Arjen and I are not done yet."

Though Hazard has recently committed himself to Chelsea, manager Jose Mourinho has expressed his concern that the 24-year-old could yet leave the club if he does not begin to be protected by referees.

Hazard is the most fouled Premier League player since he moved to the Stamford Bridge club in the summer of 2012 and the Blues boss fears he could be kicked out of English football should the rough treatment continue.

"People in love with football in this country must be in love with Eden Hazard," he said. "The way match after match he is being punished by opponents and not being protected by referees, maybe one day we don't have Eden Hazard [in this country].

"It's one, two, three, four, five, 10 fouls, aggressive fouls. They kick and kick and kick, and the kid resists because he is a fantastic kid, strong physically and he is very honest in the way he plays, but I think this is another problem."