Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Every Chelsea signing under Roman Abramovich rated and slated
Russian owner Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003.
Chelsea fans were frustrated in the most recent transfer window after they were banned from completing any signings.
Supporters have criticised the club’s recent recruitment strategy after several expensive disappointments.
Chelsea have gone through eleven managers under Roman Abramovich, each recruiting their own players to suit their systems.
The club’s previous transfer strategy has left Frank Lampard with an imbalanced squad and the former Chelsea captain was forced to turn to the academy. We now rate every signing made since the Russian bought the club 16 years ago.
Every Chelsea signing rated and slated
Mateo Kovacic- Hit
Divided opinion at times during his Chelsea career, but has regularly featured over the last two seasons.
Jorginho- Hit
Another player who has faced plenty of criticism during his time in London, the midfielder has been a constant in Chelsea’s midfield and dictated the tempo of the play for two seasons.
Rob Green- Miss
Never had a chance of starting for Chelsea in competitive matches and was seen as a joke signing. He was part of Chelsea’s Europa League final squad and lifted the trophy.
Kepa- Hit
Kepa is generally a reliable shot stopper and still has plenty of potential, but his most infamous moment was in the Carabao Cup final where he defied Sarri’s orders to be subbed off.
Christian Pulisic- Jury’s out
The winger has struggled to cement a place in Lampard’s first choice team, but the 21-year-old still has plenty of time to develop into a world class player for the Blues.
Ethan Ampadu- Jury’s out
Was loaned out to Red Bull Leipzig but has not featured for the German side in seven matches. Showed plenty of promise in preseason and has looked good for Wales.
Willy Caballero- Hit
The Argentinian has never been in contention for a starting spot but is fairly reliable when called upon. Caballero is one of the reasons Chelsea have reached the latter stages of so many cup competitions.
Antonio Rudiger- Hit
Antonio Rudiger is one of Chelsea’s strongest centre backs and has helped to fill the void in the heart of the defence left by John Terry.
Tiemoue Bakayoko- Miss
A truly shocking signing. He has never performed well for Chelsea and is out on his second loan spell in as many seasons.
Alvaro Morata- Miss
Never lived up to his record fee and only scored 16 goals in 47 appearances for the Blues.
Danny Drinkwater- Miss
Danny Drinkwater struggled at Chelsea and never recreated his title winning form at Leicester. His poor form saw him loaned out to Burnley this season.
Davide Zappacosta- Miss
Was kept out of the team by Victor Moses and did not fit Chelsea’s system after Antonio Conte left. A short term signing who did not deliver and is now out on loan at Roma.
Ross Barkley- Miss
There was plenty of excitement surrounding his move from Everton but the midfielder has not been a consistent performer for the Blues. He still has time to turn his career around but at this moment, he is a miss.
Emerson- Hit
Has made five appearances for Chelsea this season and was the preferred left back at the start of the season, before his injury.
Olivier Giroud- Hit
The definition of a super sub, Olivier Giroud was one of Chelsea’s most consistent players but has now dropped down the pecking order.
N’golo Kante- Hit
The World Cup winning midfielder is widely regarded as the best defensive midfielders on the planet. His energy and desire is second to none.
Eduardo- Miss
A goalkeeper who never made an appearance while in London, was loaned out immediately to Vitesse Arnhem after signing and now plays for Braga.
Marcos Alonso- Hit
Marcos Alonso has shown himself to be one of the best attacking full-backs in the league. The Spaniard has shown his versatility playing at left back and wing back, but is more comfortable attacking than defending.
David Luiz- Hit
His inconsistency infuriated fans at times but the defender won the Champions League, two Europa Leagues and a Premier League title.
Danilo Pantic- Miss
Signed in 2015, currently out on loan.
Asmir Begovic- Miss
Deputised to Thibaut Courtois and never really had a chance of breaking into the starting lineup. Did not always impress when he did play.
Kenedy- Miss
Was not considered a first team player and is now out on loan at his fourth club since he signed for Chelsea in 2015.
Baba Rahman- Miss
Signed a one-year contract extension last month but has been out on loan for the past three seasons.
Pedro- Hit
A reliable figure for Chelsea, the ageing forward is coming to the end of his career but has shone for the Blues.
Michael Hector- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, always loaned out.
Papy Djilobodji- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, loaned out then sold to Sunderland.
Marco Amelia- Miss
Never made an appearance, sold one season after joining.
Matt Miazga- Miss
Made two appearances for Chelsea then loaned out.
Chelsea could make top four thanks to Lampard says Steve Nicol
Michy Batshuayi- Miss
Regularly appears as a substitute but struggled to break into the first team.
Cesc Fabregas- Hit
The former Arsenal captain was a surprise signing but orchestrated the attacks under Jose Mourinho.
Mario Pasalic- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, has been out on loan for five seasons.
Diego Costa- Hit
His time in London ended on a sour note but he bullied the Premier League and was Chelsea’s best striker since Didier Drogba left the club.
Loic Remy- Hit
A reliable back-up to Costa, the Frenchman added depth to the squad.
Filipe Luis- Miss
Made 15 appearances for Chelsea before moving back to Atletico Madrid, failed to make an impact in England.
Juan Cuadrado- Miss
Struggled to break into the starting lineup but showed quality for Juventus. The Colombian was never effectively utilised in an attacking position.
Nathan- Miss
Never made an appearance for Chelsea, loaned out for the last five seasons,
Andre Schurrle- Hit
Just about made it as a hit, scored eight goals in his first season but then faded and was ultimately sold to Wolfsburg.
Marco Van Ginkel- Miss
Made two appearances for Chelsea, loaned out for the last four seasons.
Mark Schwarzer- Miss
Made four appearances for Chelsea and then went to Leicester and won the Premier League with them, making six appearances.
Izzy Brown- Miss
Made one appearance for Chelsea, loaned out for the last five seasons.
Willian- Hit
A fixture in the Chelsea side for the past six seasons, the Brazilian was the shining light during the Blues’ abysmal season under Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink.
Samuel Eto’o- Hit
Eto’o scored nine goals in 21 appearances, a formidable record. The Cameroonian may not have been at his peak during his Chelsea career but he filled a hole in the squad.
Christian Atsu- Miss
Never made an appearance for Chelsea and finally left the club after four seasons in 2017.
Nemanja Matic- Hit
Disappointed the first time he signed for the Blues but was phenomenal under Jose Mourinho.
Mohamed Salah- Miss
Chelsea fans would have been shocked by what Salah has achieved at Liverpool after his poor performances at Stamford Bridge. The winger never nailed down a starting role and was sold by Jose Mourinho
Kurt Zouma- Miss
Kurt Zouma was never a first choice centre-back for Chelsea and now appears to have dropped below Fikayo Tomori in the pecking order.
Marko Marin- Miss
Appeared six times for Chelsea. Sold after spending four seasons out on loan.
Oscar- Hit
The Brazilian provided flair to the midfield and often looked threatening in the oppositions half. Made a bizarre move to China after his form dropped.
Cesar Azpilicueta- Hit
The club captain gives his all for the team and embodies consistency. He has made over 200 appearances for the club and has won two Premier League titles.
Victor Moses- Hit
Moses was not always first choice during his time at Chelsea. However, Antonio Conte’s decision to deploy him in the unfamiliar position of wing-back proved to be a revelation and confirms Moses as a hit.
Demba Ba- Hit
Failed to cement a starting spot but has been immortalised in Premier League history after he capitalised on Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip.
Oriol Romeu- Miss
Did not appear regularly for Chelsea and only showed his true capabilities when he moved to Southampton.
Romelu Lukaku- Miss
One of the ones that got away from Chelsea. Romeu Lukaku scored over 100 Premier League goals but none for the Blues.
Juan Mata- Hit
Unplayable at his best, Mata fell out of favour under Jose Mourinho but it does not detract from his achievements.
Ulises Davila- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, spent five season out on loan before being sold.
Raul Meireles- Miss
Offered little to the team in his short spell with the club, sold after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked.
Gary Cahill- Hit
Made almost 200 appearances for the club and forged a formidable partnership in the heart of the defence with John terry.
Lucas Piazon- Miss
Still a Chelsea player but never made an appearance for the club, loaned out for the last seven years.
Patrick Bamford- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, six season on loan before being sold to Middlesbrough.
Kevin De Bruyne- Miss
Achieved incredible success with Manchester City but, much like Salah and Lukaku, De Bruyne never made an impact at Chelsea, making just three appearances.
Eden Hazard- Hit
One of the easiest decisions on the list, the Belgian carried Chelsea to great success during his career. Few fans begrudged his move to Real Madrid after his sensational performances over seven years.
Ramires- Hit
A mainstay in midfield, the Brazilian helped Chelsea to Champions League and Premier League glory during his during his six years at the club.
Fernando Torres- Miss
After his £50m move, the Spaniard never lived up to his transfer fee and failed to replicate his astonishing performances for Liverpool. He will forever be remembered for his Champions League semi-final goal against Barcelona.
Thibaut Courtois- Hit
Spent three years on loan at Atletico Madrid before returning to Chelsea and cementing himself as the number one goalkeeper. Ended his time in London in a disappointing fashion after forcing a move to Real.
Ben Gordon- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, loaned out for four seasons before being sold.
Ross Turnbull- Miss
Made seven appearances for Chelsea but was not a good deputy to Petr Cech.
Daniel Sturridge- Miss
Used out wide and through the centre, Sturridge showed few signs of what he was capable of.
Yuri Zhirkov- Miss
The most expensive Russian of all time showed promising signs but was blighted by injury during his time at Chelsea.
Tomas Kalas- Miss
Made two appearances for Chelsea. Loaned out for nine seasons before being sold to Bristol City.
Yossi Benayoun- Miss
Only made 14 appearances for the Blues before being loaned out to local rivals Arsenal.
Chelsea: Transfer ban is a ‘good thing’ says Hudson-Odoi
Mineiro- Miss
Made one appearance for Chelsea before being sold to Schalke.
Gokhan Tore- Miss
Scouted by Frank Arnesen, Tore never made an appearance for Chelsea.
Florent Malouda- Hit
Malouda was top goalscorer during the 2010-11 season but is also fondly remembered for frequently chaining his hairstyles.
Juliano Belletti- Hit
A full-back who had a great work rate and also chipped in with long range goals.
Nicolas Anelka- Hit
Scored almost 40 goals for Chelsea in four years and formed a successful partnership with Drogba.
Branislav Ivanovic- Hit
A stalwart in Chelsea’s defence, the Serb made over 250 appearances and was regularly included in the PFA Team of the Year.
Franco Di Santo- Miss
Made eight appearances in two years.
Jose Bosingwa- Hit
The famous monobrow is what most will remember about the Portuguese full back. He always looked more comfortable attacking than defending.
Deco- Hit
Performed well under Luiz Felipe Scolari and Carlo Ancelotti after his arrival from Barcelona was greeted with great excitement. An exciting player on the ball, he always looked to play forward.
Khalid Boulahrouz- Miss
Made 13 appearances for Chelsea before being sold to Stuttgart.
Ashley Cole- Hit
Regarded as the greatest full-back in the world at his peak, Ashley Cole was fantastic for Chelsea both offensively and defensively.
Steven Sidwell- Miss
Made 15 appearances for Chelsea before being sold to Aston Villa.
Claudio Pizarro- Miss
Scored two goals in 20 appearances for Chelsea before moving to Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich.
Tal Ben-Haim- MIss
Made 13 appearances for Chelsea before moving to Manchester City.
Slobodan Rajkovic- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, sold to Hamburger after four seasons out on loan.
Asier del Horno- Miss
Sold after one season at the club and won the only title of his career.
Scott Sinclair- Miss
Made five appearances for Chelsea. Sent out on loan for five years before being sold.
Lassana Diarra- Miss
Made 13 appearances in two years at Chelsea and was often played out of position, depriving him of the chance to show his potential.
Shaun Wright-Phillips- Miss
Scored four goals for Chelsea in 80 appearances and never secured a starting spot under Jose Mourinho or Avram Grant.
Michael Essien- Hit
Essien was the Blues’ most expensive signing at the time and it was money well spent. The Ghanaian was the complete midfielder and one of Jose Mourinho’s favourite players.
Michael Ballack- Hit
Signed when he was past his prime, Ballack was often criticised for ‘lethargic’ performances but did chip in with vital goals.
Salomon Kalou- Hit
Scored important goals for Chelsea but never kicked on to the next level, often leaving fans frustrated.
Andrei Shevchenko- Miss
Never came close to achieving what he had done with AC Milan and failed to live up to his price tag.
John Obi Mikel- Hit
Not always the most popular figure in the lineup and often criticised for only passing backwards and sideways, the Nigerian did add steel to the midfield.
Mateja kezman- Miss
Only spent one season at Chelsea and failed to make an impact.
Didier Drogba- Hit
Easily Chelsea’s greatest ever striker. Drogba was a formidable opponent combining pace and power with intelligence. The striker won the Champions League for the club with what was thought to be his last ever kick for the club.
Tiago Mendes- Miss
Started well and was a regular in the team during his first season at the club but was displaced after Michael Essien arrived.
Ricardo Carvalho- Hit
One of Chelsea’s greatest defenders, Carvalho formed a partnership with club legend John Terry that is debated as being the best ever Premier League centre-back pairing.
Jiri Jarosik- Miss
Won a Premier League winners medal after making 14 appearances but was loaned out after Essien’s arrival.
Craig Rocastle- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, sold after being loaned out for two seasons.
Yves Ma-Kalambay- Miss
Never appeared for Chelsea, sold after one season.
Glen Johnson- Hit
Looked better going forward than defending but was a good player to have in the squad after Ashely Cole’s transfer.
Geremi- Hit
Described as a player who as always ready to help the team by Mourinho, Geremi was never fantastic but proved to be an apt squad player.
Damien Duff- Hit
A versatile winger, Duff provided quality across the pitch and worked well with fellow winger Ajern Robben. Scored important goals at crucial times.
Wayne Bridge- Hit
Deputised well for Ashley Cole and was a relatively consistent performer when called upon.
Juan Sebastian Veron- Miss
Made seven appearances before being loaned out in Italy.
Joe Cole- Hit
The forward had an abundance of natural skill and Mourinho was able to improve Cole’s work ethic. He never quite delivered on the promise he showed early on.
Adrian Mutu- Miss
Never spent long in the team and was banned from football after testing positive for cocaine use.
Alexei Smertin- Miss
Made 16 appearances before being loaned out and ultimately sold.
Hernan Crespo- Hit
Played well for the Blues, scoring 20 goals in 50 games, but never settled in England and eventually moved back to Italy.
Neil Sullivan- Miss
Made four appearances in one year before being sold.
Claude Makelele- Hit
The Frenchman had a position named after him because of his performances at Chelsea. A world class talent.
Scott Parker- Miss
Signed as cover for Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele, Parker had limited opportunities and eventually left.
Petr Cech- Hit
Petr Cech has the most clean sheets in Premier League history and is likely to go down as Chelsea’s greatest ever goal keeper.
Paulo Ferreira- Hit
Performed well when called upon and was comfortable attacking and defending.
Alex- Hit
Nicknamed ‘the Tank,’ Alex was a rock at the back for Chelsea and scored an incredible free kick against Arsenal.
Arjen Robben- Hit
Robben had pace and was also excellent at crossing and finishing. The Dutchman had injury issues while at Chelsea but continued to show his qualities when he move to Bayern Munich.