Having won the 2014-15 Premier League title with victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday, Jose Mourinho will be delighted with the performances of his players.
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Chelsea transfer news
But should the Portuguese coach be content with his transfer dealings?
There have been numerous comings and goings at the club this season—both during the summer and in the January transfer window—some contributing to the team’s success and others looking like missteps by the coach.
In this feature we look back over Chelsea’s transfer dealings this year—both incomings and outgoings—and rate each deal.
Diego Costa
Injury concerns may have affected Diego Costa’s progress of late, but his 19 goals (in only 23 starts) have been central to Chelsea’s campaign—even if only three of them have come since January.
£32-million Costa has been a perfect fit for the Blues and if he can put his injury concerns behind him, he may well become a great at the club.
9/10
David Luiz
It looks as though everyone is happy with David Luiz’s £50-million transfer from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain.
The French giants—for whom money is little option—received another high-profile Brazil international and glamour signing.
Luiz looks on course to win the Ligue 1 title, while Chelsea made big money on a player who remains prone to errors in the Premier League.
9/10
Cesc Fabregas
A class act, who has returned to form in the Premier League as though he had never been away.
€33 million and a five-year deal represent a fine bit of business for Chelsea, with Fabregas emerging as the Premier League’s top creator this season.
9/10
Ryan Bertrand
Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand was the only non-Chelsea player to feature in the backline of the PFA Team of the Year.
Indeed, the 25-year-old Champions League winner has been in fine form for Southampton since making his loan and then his permanent switch to St Mary’s Stadium.
£10 million could prove to be a steal…and may come back to haunt Chelsea.
4/10
Juan Cuadrado
The 26-year-old Colombia international is a versatile, explosive option…although Chelsea fans haven’t seen too much of him or those qualities since his January move.
£23.3 million for three (unconvincing) starts so far marks this one out as a potential flop, but there’s still time on the player’s four-and-a-half year deal for him to come good.
5/10
Fernando Torres
Out of sorts, and coming to the end of his career, it was little surprise when Jose Mourinho cut Fernando Torres loose, ending his unhappy spell at Stamford Bridge.
Three goals in 27 appearances for Atletico Madrid and AC Milan this season will hardly leave Chelsea with any regrets.
9/10
Filipe Luis
Having only made seven starts in the Premier League, it’s hard to call Filipe Luis an unqualified success, although he looked good during his five outings in the Champions League.
£15.8 million was a lot to spend on a back-up full-back who will be 30 later this year, especially when it meant Ryan Bertrand leaving the club.
6/10
Andre Schurrle
Some raised their eyebrows when Chelsea parted ways with World Cup-winner Andre Schurrle in January, but since moving to Wolfsburg, the 24-year-old has hardly been pulling up trees.
The Wolves are flying in the Bundesliga, but Mourinho will be happy to have recuperated 32 million Euros for a player who has only managed one goal and one assist since leaving London.
8/10
Loic Remy
Remy was bought to Chelsea as a backup striker, and he has proved to be exactly that, starting only four EPL matches this season.
Five goals isn’t a great return on £10.5 million, although vital goals in consecutive games against Hull and Stoke helped the Pensioners through a tricky patch.
6/10
Demba Ba
Signed for €6 million—considerably less than was spent on Remy—by Besiktas, Ba has scored 17 goals in only 23 starts in the Super Lig.
Only one year older than Remy, was it really worth that attacking reshuffle and the loss that came with it?
5/10
Romelu Lukaku
Lukaku’s move to Everton will be judged in the long run. The forward has scored nine goals in 33 matches in the Prem this season—suggesting he’s not worth £28 million.
However, he is only 21—so maybe he’s just not worth £28 million just yet!
7/10
Samuel Eto’o
Considering his troubled relationship with Eto’o, it was little surprise that Jose Mourinho let him go last summer.
Now 34, and having bagged only four league goals all season—for Everton and Sampdoria—the time was right.
8/10
Frank Lampard
Ultimately, Chelsea have done ok without Lampard—arguably the club’s greatest-ever player. However, he has demonstrated with Manchester City that, despite being 36, he can still contribute in the Premier League—scoring five goals in seven starts and 22 substitute appearances this term.
Did Mourinho pull the plug too soon? Might the Champions League winner have helped ease the pressure on Chelsea’s squad towards the season’s end?
6/10
Didier Drogba
While Lampard was offloaded, now-37-year-old Drogba made his fairytale return to Stamford Bridge, claiming another winner’s medal—his fourth—in the process.
The acceleration isn’t what it used to be, and the leap isn’t quite as we remembered, but Drogba has done enough this term to justify his return.
And we’ve all enjoyed the nostalgia…!
8/10