The best bits of Stamford Bridge business the Russian billionaire has been involved in during his decade at the West London club.
Roman Abramovich has been Chelsea owner for ten years now and the club have enjoyed a period of sustained success that has never been seen in the clubs history. The Russian has spent an amazing £713 million on players at Chelsea and there have been many terrific players that have made their name at Stamford Bridge over the last ten years. Here is the top ten best Chelsea signings of the last ten years.
10- Damien Duff (24, Blackburn, £17 million)
The winger was one of the Premier League’s rising stars during his years at Blackburn, with his pace and skill causing headaches for even the best full-backs. It wasn’t long before he attracted the interest of Chelsea and was one of the first signings of the Abramovich era. He had an impressive first season for Chelsea but got even better once Jose Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge, with Duff being one of the key players on the Portuguese team sheet. Duff was used on the left wing and formed a devastating partnership with Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben in a fantastic front-three that took the Premier League by storm. Duff’s contribution helped Chelsea win their first Premier League title in 2005 and they then regained it in 2006. Duff left Chelsea after the clubs second title win and joined Newcastle for £5 million in 2006. The winger suffered a series of injuries which made him lose the pace that made him so devastating so he never quite returned to heights he hit while at Chelsea.
9- Michael Ballack (29, Bayern Munich, free)
The German joined Chelsea in 2006 on a free transfer from Bayern Munich and was a player that added real skill and knowledge to the Blues midfield. He maybe wasn’t as a good as he was while he played in Germany but he contributed a huge amount to Chelsea during his time at the club with his knowledge of playing in Europe helping the Blues to their first ever Champions League final in 2008. He also won two FA Cup’s during his time with the club and won the Premier League title under Carlo Ancelotti in 2010. Ballack left the club on a high in 2010 and he moved back to former club Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer.
8- Juan Mata (23, Valencia, £23 million)
Mata may have been quite pricy when Chelsea paid Valencia £23 million for him two years ago but he has been a brilliant signing for the Blues, becoming the most creative player in the team and also a regular goal scorer from midfield. Most attacks revolve around him and he is certainly the heart beat of Chelsea’s midfield as Frank Lampard’s influence starts wane slightly. He played an important role in Chelsea’s first ever Champions League victory in 2012 and he is regarded as one of the best creative midfielders in the world. Chelsea fans will hope that the rumours of him leaving Stamford Bridge this summer will prove to be false as he is loved by the clubs supporters and was named Chelsea’s player of the year following an excellent season at Stamford Bridge.
7- Michael Essien (22, Lyon, £24.4 million)
Essien joined Chelsea after the clubs first Premier League victory in 2005 and instantly made himself at home in the clubs midfield. He worked well alongside players like Frank Lampard, his physicality meaning the Englishman had time to pick pass in central midfield. He contributed hugely to Chelsea’s second title win in 2006 and was regarded as one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League. He continued to impress for Chelsea for several most seasons but recently he has suffered several knee injuries meaning his appearances for Chelsea have become few and far between. He was loaned out to Real Madrid last summer and it is unknown whether he will remain at Stamford Bridge this summer or be sold. The decline in Essien has been sad as at his best he was one of the best central midfielders in the world.
6- Arjen Robben (20, PSV Eindhoven, £12 million)
Robben is still regarded as one of the best wingers in the world despite his problems with injuries. He signed for Chelsea in 2004 and made an instant impact, terrifying defences with his raw pace and skill. He was also a highly skilled crosser of the ball and helped provide many assists for striker Didier Drogba. He has had his fair share of injuries during his career and that is arguably why the Blues decided to sell him to Real Madrid in 2007 for £24 million. Although he struggled with injury at Real Madrid he regained his form when he joined Bayern Munich and scored the German clubs winning goal in the final of this year’s Champions League. Chelsea have been crying out for a player of Robben’s quality on the wing for many seasons, suggesting that it was a mistake to sell him in the first place.
5- Ricardo Carvalho (26, Porto, £19.8 million)
Carvalho was one of Jose Mourinho’s first signings during his first spell as Chelsea manager. The defender had been at the centre of Mourinho’s defence during Porto’s Champions League win in 2004 and the Portuguese manager wanted to make sure Carvalho joined him at Chelsea. Carvalho formed a formidable central defensive partnership with captain John Terry, making the Blues defence almost impregnable during the 2004-2005 season when Chelsea won their first league title in 50 years. Carvalho continued to play a big role in Chelsea’s success and although he didn’t get as many headlines as his central defensive partner, he was just as important. Carvalho joined Mourinho at Real Madrid in 2010 and Chelsea have struggled to replace the Portuguese defender since his departure, showing just how important he was to the Blues.
4- Claude Makelele (30, Real Madrid, £16 million)
Despite his age, Chelsea signed Makelele from Real Madrid in 2003 and he instantly became a major part of the clubs midfield. His role in defensive midfield helped the Blues to become one of the most defensively sound sides in English footballing history and his presence also enabled some of his fellow central midfielders to get forward and score goals. With Makelele behind him, players like Frank Lampard were free to get forward and not worry about having to get back and defend because the world class Frenchman was behind him. Chelsea have struggled to replace Makelele and were not as strong defensively once he left. Although the Frenchman was pricy at £16 million, Chelsea certainly got their money’s worth while he was at the club.
3- Didier Drogba (26, Marseille, £24 million)
Drogba was one of Jose Mourinho’s most wanted players in the summer of 2004 with the striker having impressed many with his performances in the UEFA Cup for Marseille. Mourinho did eventually get his man and although it took time for Drogba settle in at Stamford Bridge, the Ivorian became one of the clubs best ever strikers. Physically he was a handful for even the best central defenders and could score a wide variety of goals, from tap-ins to spectacular volleys that would set Stamford Bridge alight. He was a key player for Jose Mourinho’s title winning sides in 2005 and 2006 and continued to be an important player for Chelsea as managers came and went at Stamford Bridge. He left the club last summer after 8 years with the Blues and his last kick in a Chelsea shirt was scoring the winning penalty in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, giving Roman Abramovich the trophy that he has always craved the most.
2- Ashley Cole (25, Arsenal, £5 million plus William Gallas)
Cole had been a long term target for Mourinho with the Portuguese manager targeting the Arsenal left back as soon as he arrived at Stamford Bridge. In 2006, Mourinho finally got his man after a summer of speculation about Cole’s future at Arsenal and the left back settled into the Blues squad quickly. Cole was to become arguably the best left back in the world and his performances at Chelsea since his arrival have been outstanding. Success didn’t arrive straight away for Cole at Chelsea and the left back had to wait until 2010 for his first Premier League title with the club. He also played a big role in Chelsea’s victorious Champions League campaign in 2011/2012. The left back continues to be an excellent performer for Chelsea and it is unlikely that he will be replaced anytime soon. Whoever does replace Cole at Chelsea will certainly have a tough act to follow.
1- Petr Cech (22, Rennes, £9 million)
Cech was signed as one of the most highly rated young goalkeepers in the world and has matured into a legend at Chelsea. He has arguably been the best goalkeeper in world football for the past ten years and was a bargain at just £9 million. The Czech Republic international makes very few mistakes and also produces fantastic saves reminiscent of the great Peter Schmeichel at his best. He has been a rock at the back for Chelsea for 9 years now and was virtually unbeatable during the clubs back to back Premier League title victories in 2005 and 2006. He is still going strong even now and is reaching the age when many goalkeepers reach their peak. Jose Mourinho knows that he doesn’t have to sign a new goalkeeper anytime soon with Cech at the club and with many of Chelsea’s old heroes in decline, the goalkeeper remains at his best making him Chelsea’s best signing of the Roman Abramovich era.