Chelsea have been one of the richest clubs of the Premier League era but that hasn’t stopped them from making some ill-judged decisions in the transfer market.
Under Roman Abramovich, the club have never been shy in throwing their financial weight around when it comes to recruitment, nor worried about shipping players out when they feel it is not working.
Not every decision is a smart one, however. We’ve taken a look at 10 players who failed to impress at Stamford Bridge but still went on to shine elsewhere.
Nathan Ake
Ake spent five years with Chelsea but made just seven Premier League appearances in that time.
Following loan spells with Reading, Watford and Bournemouth, the defender was sold to the Cherries in the summer of 2017 for £20million. From then on, he has shown his class in the top flight.
In three seasons, Ake made 121 appearances under Eddie Howe, scoring 11 goals in the process. After the south-coast side were relegated in 2020, the 26-year-old jumped ship for Manchester City.
The Netherlands international ended his first campaign at the Etihad with Premier League and League Cup winner’s medals. Not too shabby.
Patrick Bamford
Bamford was one of many players to find himself trapped in the Blues’ relentless loan system.
In his five years at Stamford Bridge, the striker was loaned out six times. When he left permanently for Middlesbrough in 2017, he did so without a second of Chelsea game-time to his name.
It has only spurred him on, however. After moving to Leeds United in 2018, he became the focal point of Marcelo Bielsa’s rampant side, helping to fire them back into the Premier League in 2020. In his first season back in the top flight, he also scored more goals than any Chelsea player.
Kevin De Bruyne
You will all know this story by now. Chelsea signed the Belgian from Genk in 2012 and, after giving him just nine run-outs in the first team, sold him on to Wolfsburg in 2014.
Oh, Jose.
READ: Pinpointing when Kevin De Bruyne decided to become a magician
Lassana Diarra
Jose Mourinho brought Diarra to west London in 2005 but, after the midfielder made just 13 Premier League appearances in three seasons, he was moved along.
Another brief and underwhelming spell followed at Arsenal before Diarra shone at Portsmouth, where his career experienced a significant boost.
In January 2009, he completed a move from Fratton Park to the Bernabeu. He was a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for three seasons, although his role…
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