From Lampard to Hazard: Chelsea’s 20 best signings of the Premier League era

Chelsea have signed plenty of top players over the past three decades, and a select few have rightfully earned legendary status

By Jon Turner | March 15, 2024

Over the past three decades of the Premier League era, Chelsea have seen hundreds of players come and go.

Some have done well while others struggled to make their mark for various reasons. Then there’s a select few who have signed for the club, made massive impacts, and secured legendary status.

This is dedicated to that final group of players, who will forever be remembered as Chelsea greats. In selecting the final list (there were more than 40 nominees!), I’ve considered a combination of longevity, contribution to success, and overall impact on the club.

Disagree with the list or order, or feel someone is missing? Let me know in the comments or on social media!

20) Diego Costa (2014-2017)

Appearances: 120
Major honours: (3) Premier League x 2 (2014/15, 2016/17), League Cup x 1 (2014/15)

What this current Chelsea team would do for a prime Diego Costa. A big, horrible, snarling centre-forward, the Brazil-born Spaniard joined the Blues from Atletico Madrid for £32m and made his mark immediately.

Costa scored 20 league goals in each of his first and third seasons to fire Chelsea to the titles. His time at the club was cut prematurely short after falling out with manager Antonio Conte, although Chelsea made a healthy profit when he moved back to Atletico for €50m.

Seven years on from his departure, Chelsea are still trying to replace Costa up front; he scored 59 goals and created 36 assists in 120 appearances.

19) Ramires (2010-2016)

Appearances: 251
Major honours: (5) Premier League x 1 (2014/15), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), Europa League x 1 (2012/13), FA Cup x 1 (2011/12), League Cup x 1 (2014/15)

The talented Brazilian midfielder joined Chelsea from Benfica for £17m and immediately established himself as a key player, and soon enough a fan favourite.

A player possessing pace, power, technical excellence, and a decent eye for goal, Ramires was trusted by a succession of managers, either as part of a midfield three or wide right.

Scored one of the greatest and most important goals in the club’s history when his outrageous chip at the Camp Nou helped send the Blues past Barcelona and into the 2012 Champions League final. Left the club in January 2016 for a lucrative move to China.

18) Gary Cahill (2012-2019)

Appearances: 290
Major honours: (8) Premier League x 2 (2014/15, 2016/17), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), Europa League x 2 (2012/13, 2018/19), FA Cup x 2 (2011/12, 2017/18), League Cup x 1 (2014/15)

Signed in January 2012 from Bolton for an absolute bargain £7m, Gary Cahill was already a top Premier League defender when he joined the club, and he slotted in seamlessly at Stamford Bridge.

Forged an impregnable central defensive partnership with John Terry, whom Cahill succeeded as captain in 2017 following the great man’s departure. Two of his eight major trophies came as captain.

Marginalised in his final season by Maurizio Sarri before leaving for Crystal Palace, but his place as an all-time Chelsea defender is forever secured.

17) Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (2000-2004)

Appearances: 177
Major honours: (0)

Moved to Chelsea from Atletico Madrid for massive money at the time (£15m) but as an oven-ready guarantor of goals.

So it proved as the prolific Dutch striker banged in 26 goals in his debut season and 29 in his second as part of the superb frontline partnership with Eidur Gudjohnsen.

Jimmy Flyod Hasselbaink was still a regular in the side for Abramovich’s first year of ownership, helping Chelsea to their highest top-flight finish (2^nd) since winning the First Division title in 1955. But that was his final season, and he moved to Middlesbrough on a free transfer. Scored 87 goals and created 28 assists in 177 games.

16) Eidur Gudjohnsen (2000-2006)

Appearances: 263
Major honours: (3) Premier League x 2 (2004/05, 2005/06), League Cup x 1 (2004/05)

Moved to Chelsea from Bolton for £4.5m and built one of the Premier League’s great strike partnerships with Hasselbaink.

A forward of superb technique, intelligence, and movement, Eidur Gudjohnsen was one of the few players to make the grade after Roman Abramovich bought the club and spent millions on upgrading the squad.

A key player in Chelsea’s first top division league title in 50 years but found game time more limited in his last season following the arrival of Didier Drogba. Scored 78 goals and provided 34 assists in 263 games in all competitions.

15) John Obi Mikel (2006-2017)

Appearances: 372
Major honours: (10) Premier League x 2 (2009/10, 2014/15), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), Europa League x 1 (2012/13), FA Cup x 4 (2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12), League Cup x 2 (2006/07, 2014/15)

At the time the most highly-rated teenager in world football, John Obi Mikel joined Chelsea from Norwegian side Lyn after a strange transfer saga involving Manchester United.

His overall fee of £16m seemed high for an 18-year-old at the time but it turned out to be peanuts in the long run.

A combative, athletic midfielder with brilliant positional awareness and composure, Mikel became a regular in his second season and played a central role in a prolonged spell of Chelsea success.

After 10-and-a-half years at the Bridge, joined the (ill-fated) Chinese revolution in January 2017.

14) Ricardo Carvalho (2004-2010)

Appearances: 210
Major honours: (8) Premier League x 3 (2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10), FA Cup x 3 (2006/07,2008/09, 2009/10), League Cup x 2 (2004/05, 2006/07)

One of Jose Mourinho’s first signings, immediately reuniting with the ‘Special One’ after winning the Champions League together with Porto.

Ricardo Caravalho arrived for a substantial fee of £20m and immediately formed one of the Premier League’s great defensive pairings with John Terry.

Rock solid, strong in the tackle, competent on the ball, and possessing a big-game mentality, the Portuguese was the epitome of a modern centre-back. Vital to the greatest Premier League defence of all time.

13) Claude Makelele (2003-2008)

Appearances: 217
Major honours: (5) Premier League x 2 (2004/05, 2005/06), FA Cup x 1 (2006/07), League Cup x 2 (2004/05, 2006/07)

Synonymous with Real Madrid but Claude Makelele actually played more games for Chelsea than any club during his trophy-laden career.

The French midfielder joined the Blues from Real for £16.8m and was a transformative figure; he was vital to Chelsea’s first Premier League title in his second season, with Mourinho describing him as his “player of the year”.

So good he had a role named after him, Makelele was a massive leader during a time of great transition at the club. Left for PSG on a free transfer in 2008.

12) Marcel Desailly (1998-2004)

Appearances: 222
Major honours: (1) FA Cup (1999/00)

It can’t be overstated just what a massive coup this was for Chelsea at the time. Marcel Desailly arrived at Stamford Bridge in his prime for £4.5m as a recent World Cup winner and one of the best defenders in Europe following a successful spell at AC Milan.

Chelsea had just finished third in the Premier League to reach the Champions League qualifying round but were by no means the European superpower they would ultimately become.

While Desailly only won one big trophy with Chelsea, that shouldn’t undermine his impact at and on the club. ‘Le Rock’ formed a formidable partnership with fellow Frenchman Frank LeBoeuf and set a new standard of defensive excellence.

Perhaps his enduring legacy is the role he played in mentoring a young John Terry, who credits Desailly for having a major role in his development.

11) Michael Essien (2005-2014)

Appearances: 256
Major honours: (8) Premier League x 2 (2005/06, 2009/10), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), FA Cup x 4 (2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12), League Cup x 1 (2006/07)

Michael Essien became Chelsea’s record signing when he arrived from Lyon for £24.4m – a fee that seemed steep at the time for a highly-rated yet unproven player. It didn’t take long for the Ghanian powerhouse to become a fan favourite and prove his worth.

A modern-day box-to-box midfielder with power and technique, Essien formed one of the best midfields in Premier League history alongside Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack to help Chelsea to plenty of success.

Scored one of the all-time great Chelsea goals against Arsenal – not to mention that rocket against Barcelona – and was a hero of Munich in 2012. Spent the 2012/13 season on loan at Real Madrid, before joining AC Milan in January 2014.

10) Ashley Cole (2006-2014)

Appearances: 337
Major honours: (8) Premier League x 1 (2009/10), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), Europa League x 1 (2012/13), FA Cup x 4 (2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12), League Cup x 1 (2007/07)

Involved in one of the most controversial transfers in English football when he moved from rivals Arsenal amid accusations of ‘tapping up’, Ashley Cole cost £5m plus William Gallas in part-exchange.

It was all well worth it as Cole became the greatest left-back in Chelsea history and the best English left-back of his generation.

Famously put Cristiano Ronaldo in his pocket in each of their duels for club and country, Cole was a prime example of a modern-day full-back; he defended like a defender, attacked like a winger, and had a Rolls Royce-like engine.

Left the club in 2014 and had short spells at Roma, LA Galaxy, and Derby County. Cole became the latest, and fourth, Chelsea player inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame this year.

9) Branislav Ivanovic (2008-2017)

Appearances: 377
Major honours: (9) Premier League x 3 (2009/10, 2014/15, 2016/17), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), Europa League x 1 (2012/13), FA Cup x 3 (2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12), League Cup x 1 (2014/15)

Branislav Ivanovic moved to the club midway through the 2007/08 season from Lokomotiv Moscow for a fairly hefty £9.7m – big money for a right-back few people had heard of. It seemed a total waste after he failed to make a single appearance in his first half-season due to fitness issues.

That is a laughable thought now, considering what Ivanovic went on to achieve in blue. It wasn’t until his second full season that the Russian started to establish himself as the first-choice right-back – once he did, there was no looking back.

A colossal defender who was underrated going forward, Ivanovic was aerially dominant in both boxes and famously scored an injury-time winner in the 2013 Europa League final. After nine years at the Bridge, he moved back to Russia with Zenit St Petersburg.

8) Willian (2013-2020)

Appearances: 339
Major honours: (5) Premier League x 2 (2014/15, 2016/17), Europa League x 1 (2018/19), FA Cup x 1 (2017/18), League Cup x 1 (2014/15)

Signed from under the noses of Tottenham, who thought the Brazilian was moving to north London, Willian made his way to Stamford Bridge for a chunky £30m after starring un Ukraine for Shakhtar Donetsk and a brief stint at Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala.

A player of pure class and technical brilliance who could score with both feet, Willian was the lone shining light in the forgettable 2015/16 season and was named player of the year, either side of twice helping Chelsea win the Premier League title.

Scored 63 goals and provided 57 assists in 339 games before an ill-fated move to Arsenal. After a short return to Brazil, Willian is back in the Premier League doing the business for Fulham.

7) N’Golo Kante (2016-2023)

Appearances: 269
Major honours: (5) Premier League x 1 (2016/17), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2020/21), Europa League x 1 (2018/19), FA Cup x 1 (2017/18), Fifa Club World Cup x 1 (2021)

Moved to Chelsea for £32m having played an instrumental role in Leicester City’s remarkable Premier League triumph, N’Golo Kante spent six years at Stamford Bridge, spending most of them proving to be the best defensive midfielder in the world.

Captured the hearts of Chelsea fans with his quiet, shy, and unassuming nature, Kante was a colossal on the pitch; his endurance levels were astounding, and while he stood at a diminutive 5ft 6in, the Frenchman was a giant in midfield.

So much more than a screening midfielder, Kante was what Thomas Tuchel called a ‘double six’ – a player capable of protecting the defence while also playing box-to-box; working in transition and driving the team forward.

He produced one of the great Champions League final performances in 2021 against Manchester City. Injury blighted his final season before he moved to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad, but Kante will always be remembered as a Chelsea midfield legend.

6) Cesar Azpilicueta (2012-2023)

Appearances: 508
Major honours: (8) Premier League x 2 (2014/15, 2016/17), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2020/21), Europa League x 2 (2012/13, 2018/19), FA Cup x 1 (2017/18), League Cup x 1 (2014/15), Fifa Club World Cup x 1 (2021)

Arrived the same summer as glamour signings Eden Hazard and Oscar, so the transfer of an uncomplicated defender from Marseille for £7m went comparatively under the radar.

Eleven years later, Cesar Azpilicueta departed as the first Chelsea player ever to win every major club trophy available.

A consummate professional who played as a natural right-back but did fine jobs at right centre-back and left-back, Azpilicueta was trusted by all his managers and was made captain ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The Spaniard was a brilliant ambassador for the club both on and off the pitch, setting a record for most appearances for an overseas player (and sixth overall).

5) Petr Cech (2004-2015)

When a talented but unproven 21-year-old goalkeeper from the Czech Republic joined Chelsea for £7m from Rennes, few could have predicted the impact he would make on the club over the next 11 years.

Petr Cech could lay claim to having the finest debut season in Premier League history, setting a new record for clean sheets (24) in a single season and going a record 1,025 minutes without conceding. He was similarly impenetrable in his second season as Chelsea retained the title, but disaster struck in his third campaign when Cech suffered a skull fracture.

Returning three months later wearing a skull cap, the stopper resumed his incomparable Blues career and played a massive role in the club’s success. For all his achievements, Cech’s greatest night came in Munich in 2012 when he saved former teammate Arjen Robben’s extra-time penalty then saved two more spot kicks in the shootout to guide Chelsea to their first Champions League title.

Cech was replaced as the No 1 by Thibaut Courtois in his final season, before making his way across London to Arsenal to finish his career. Returned to Chelsea as a technical advisor in 2019 but left three years later after Todd Boehly bought the club.

Chelsea’s greatest goalkeeper and arguably the finest in Premier League history, Cech was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2023.

4) Gianfranco Zola (1996-2003)

Appearances: 312
Major honours: (4) FA Cup x 2 (1996/97, 1999/00), League Cup x 1 (1997/98), Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup x 1 (1997/98)

Voted the greatest player in Chelsea history in 2003, Gianfranco Zola joined the club from Parma for £4.5m and spent most of his seven years in blue putting smiles on supporters’ faces.

A genius of a forward with dazzling footwork and an ability to score goals from anywhere, Zola twice finished seasons as the club’s top-scorer – 1998/99 and his final season in 2002/03. The Italian was often unplayable, famously sending Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher spinning and slipping, while his contribution was always vital to the trophies he helped the club win.

Zola left the club the same summer of the Abramovich takeover; despite an improved contract offer, he had already committed to joining hometown club Cagliari. He scored 80 goals and provided 38 assists in 312 games.

3) Eden Hazard (2012-2019)

Appearances: 352
Major honours: (6) Premier League x 2 (2014/15, 2016/17), Europa League x 2 (2012/13, 2018/19), FA Cup x 1 (2017/18), League Cup x 1 (2014/15)

Chelsea might have just won the Champions League, but Manchester City were the favourites to sign Eden Hazard in the summer of 2012. Thankfully, the Belgian wizard chose Stamford Bridge over the Etihad and the rest is history.

After starring for Lille in France – where he was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year twice in a row – Hazard arrived for a costly £32m. It turned out to be a complete bargain.

His impact was immediate, making 35 goal contributions in his debut season (13 scored, 22 assisted) and another 25 in his second (17 goals, 8 assists). His output continued in his third campaign with 31 goal involvements (19 scored, 12 assisted) to fire Chelsea to the title.

A player of immense technical ability with flair, pace, balance, a prolific eye for goal and vision for a defence-splitting pass, Hazard was also named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and FWA Player of the Year.

His one slump came in the disastrous 2015/16 season but he was back with a bang the following campaign to lead the Blues to another league title.

Regarded by the likes of John Terry and Frank Lampard as the most talented teammate they’ve ever had, Hazard left to join Real Madrid in 2019 for an initial £85m. Scored 110 goals and created 86 assists in 352 appearances.  

2) Didier Drogba (2004-2012, 2014-2015)

Appearances: 381
Major honours: (12) Premier League x 4 (2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10, 2014/15), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), FA Cup x 4 (2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12), League Cup x 3 (2004/05, 2006/07, 2014/15)

Didier Drogba moved to Chelsea from Marseille for £24m after being identified as Mourinho’s one and only target to be his centre-forward, but he was soon labelled an expensive “flop” after a debut season in which he scored 16 goals in all competitions.

The Ivorian powerhouse’s second campaign saw him trend in the right direction with 34 goal involvements (16 goals, 16 assists) as the Blues won back-to-back league titles. But it was in his third season when he really caught fire; 33 goals and 11 assists in 60 games shot Chelsea to the domestic cup double.

From there, Drogba established himself as one of the finest strikers in Europe and the ultimate big-game player – he scored 10 goals in 10 finals to win 10 trophies, culminating in that magical Champions League night in Munich when he scored a dramatic late equaliser before slotting home the winning penalty in the shootout.

After leaving the club for short spells in China and Turkey, Drogba returned for the 2014/15 season, helping the Blues win one more Premier League title and another League Cup.

‘King’ Drogba scored 164 goals (with 88 assists) in 381 matches to sit fourth in the club’s all-time top-scorers list. He was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022.

1) Frank Lampard (2001-2014)

Appearances: 648
Major honours: (11) Premier League x 3 (2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10), Uefa Champions League x 1 (2011/12), Europa League x 1 (2012/13), FA Cup x 4 (2006/07, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011/12), League Cup x 2 (2004/05, 2006/07)

Part of an exciting West Ham generation alongside the likes of Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, and Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard was considered the least talented of the lot and many baulked at the £11m Chelsea paid for his services in 2001.

By the time Lampard left Stamford Bridge 13 years later, he did so as the club’s greatest ever player and record goalscorer.

An important player immediately after joining, it was under Jose Mourinho that Lampard elevated his game to elite level, providing the goals, assists, and midfield brilliance that was so key to Chelsea enjoying the most successful spell in the club’s history.

Lampard’s consistent levels of excellence means he is the only midfielder to score 150 or more Premier League goals, while he is fourth in the league’s all-time assists ranking with 102.

A leader by example, Lampard captained Chelsea 88 times, including the famous Champions League night in Munich due to Terry’s suspension. When Super Frank left the club in 2014, he had scored a record 211 goals and provided 145 assists in 648 games.

Lampard, who was the first Chelsea player to be inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021, returned to manage the Blues on two separate occasions – with mixed results. His first full season saw him guide the club to Champions League qualification and the FA Cup final, despite a transfer ban, but he was sacked midway through his second year.

He returned on an interim basis for the final 11 games of the shambolic 2022/23 season, winning just one game. Despite his mediocre managerial record, that will never detract from the enormous impact Lampard had as a legendary player – and the greatest signing Chelsea ever made.