Hazard starred for Chelsea for seven years after arriving from French outfit Lille in the summer of 2012, scoring 85 top flight goals and winning two Premier League titles before departing for Real Madrid last summer.
Hazard spent the first 18 months of his Chelsea career playing alongside Mata, with the pair helping the West London club to the Europa League title in 2013.
Mata left Chelsea for Manchester United midway through the 2013/2014 season after becoming surplus to requirements during Jose Mourinho’s second stint as manager of the Blues.
The Spaniard’s stint in England has seen him line up alongside fellow Premier League greats like Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba but the 2010 world cup winner did not hesitate to mention Hazard when asked to name his best Premier League player.
Speaking in a fan QA on United's official website, Mata said: “The best Premier League player… I mean, I used to love to play with, and against, Eden Hazard.
"For me, for many years, he was the best in the league. He could win games by himself. I used to train with him and I know how good he can be.
"He has been very unlucky in his time with Real Madrid with some injuries, but I’m sure he’ll show his real level when he’s fit to do that and he’s not injured."
"Other than him, we’ve had many players. You can speak about the history of the Premier League and you can maybe put some of my ex-team-mates like Wayne Rooney - he has to be up there.
"Ryan Giggs has to be up there, and Paul Scholes. My ex-team-mates from Chelsea: [Frank] Lampard, [John] Terry, [Didier] Drogba. It’s very difficult to pick one.”
