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Roman Abramovich's takeover of Chelsea in 2003 led to a multitude of stars making a move to Stamford Bridge, including Gianfranco Zola, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres and Frank Lampard, to name a few.
Five world-class players who chose not to join Chelsea
Chelsea have been one of the biggest spenders in English football over the past decade, with a transfer expenditure of €1.465 billion. While the Blues are known to be one of the smartest operators in the transfer market, things haven't always gone according to script.
On that note, let's take a look at five world-class players who refused moves to Chelsea over the years.
#1 Alisson Becker
Chelsea had an unsuccessful pursuit of Brazilian international Alisson Becker in 2018.
The 28-year old had a stellar campaign with AS Roma in 2017-18, winning the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year accolade and the 2018 Copa America title with his national team. With 32 clean sheets to his name that season, Alisson attracted interest from some of Europe's top teams, including Chelsea.
His signing would end up being a hotly-contested transfer saga in the summer transfer window of 2018, as Liverpool and Chelsea expressed a strong interest in the Brazilian. Alisson eventually made the move to Anfield for a fee of €62.5 million, making him the world's most expensive goalkeeper.
Alisson cited the following reason for rejecting Chelsea:
“I chose Liverpool for the same reasons I went to Roma when I first left Brazil – I thought this would be the best move for my career. Chelsea were changing their manager and not playing in the Champions League."
Alisson wasn't the world's most expensive goalkeeper for too long, though, as Chelsea signed Kepa Arrizabalaga for a whopping €80 million in the same transfer window.
The Champions League and Premier League winner later revealed in an interview why he chose to join the Reds:
"This (Liverpool) is a club with five European Cups in their trophy cabinet. I really wanted to be part of that history."
#2 Romelu Lukaku
Social media was rife with rumours of Romelu Lukaku's impending return to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2017. The former Chelsea-reject had four immensely successful seasons at Everton, registering 116 goal involvements (87 goals, 29 assists) in 166 appearances.
In the season-opening transfer window of 2017, Lukaku looked set to leave Goodison Park in search of a new challenge. Manchester United were looking for strikers in that transfer window, and Alvaro Morata's name was heavily linked with the Red Devils.
But as fate would have it, Lukaku moved to Old Trafford, while Chelsea had to settle for Alvaro Morata. The Inter Milan goal-machine later explained in a podcast his decision to reject the Blues, saying:
"I was gone; I was going to Chelsea. I was looking for an apartment, an apartment for my mum to stay in close to the practice facility, so I don't have to drive too far. And then Man U came."
The Belgian international recalled a conversation with former United boss Jose Mourinho, where the Portuguese reportedly said:
"I'm gonna get you back; we're gonna pay £75m plus £15m in bonuses (add-ons) by next week, so I expect you in LA. So go and do your s**t in LA, and I'll see you after pre-season."
#3 Neymar
Once a Chelsea target, Neymar was tipped to be the next big thing in world football ever since his teenage years at Santos.
Most top European clubs, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, and Chelsea, expressed strong interest in the services of the Brazilian.
In his autobiography, 'Neymar - My Story: Conversations with my Father,' the 29-year old spoke about the failed move to London:
"My father and I had a meeting with president Luis Alvaro at the Santos headquarters inside the Vila Belmiro. Chelsea had made a huge transfer bid. In the middle of our conversation, the president turned off the lights and pointed at an empty chair."
Neymar went on to add:
"'This is the chair of the great national sports hero. Since Ayrton Senna's death, this chair is vacant. If Neymar Jr stays in Santos and refuses Chelsea's proposal, he will give his first step to sit in this chair. Even Pele called me. Can you imagine how important I felt? The King of Football called and asked me to stay."
That took place in the summer of 2010, and Neymar would go on to have one of his best seasons at Santos, winning the 2011 Brazilian Footballer of the Year award.
#4 Steven Gerrard
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard once publicly contemplated a move to Chelsea in the 2004-05 season.
Gerrard has been one of the most loyal servants of his boyhood club, spending 27 years of his footballing career at Anfield, winning nine major trophies, including the Champions League.
However, Liverpool weren't regular title-contenders in the 2000s and were stagnating, with no real intent or signs of progress. In the summer of 2014, Chelsea made a €20 million bid for Gerrard, with the intention of teaming him up with his English teammate, Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele, in midfield.
The deal was all but done, but Gerrard changed his mind at the last moment and decided to remain at Anfield, owing to several phone calls and discussions with his family in Liverpool and even death threats from some angry fans.
The Liverpool legend later spoke of his failed move in an interview:
"I've not been happy with the progress the club had made. and for the first time in my career. I thought about the possibility of moving on. But I've gone with my heart. I've made a decision to stay at Liverpool, and I am 100% committed to the club."
#5 Roberto Carlos
In the summer of 2007, Chelsea almost signed one of the greatest names in the game's history, Roberto Carlos.
Carlos had an illustrious career with Real Madrid, winning 13 trophies in 11 years. In 2007, the then-34-year-old Carlos was a free agent.
The Brazilian recently revealed that he was 'very close" to joining Chelsea at the time, even as an offer from Fenerbahce was on the table. In a 2017 interview with Goal, the Brazilian said:
"With Chelsea, it got very close. It was literally agreed, and I just had to go there and sign the contract. It was just a week before I signed for Fenerbahce, and I had been to Paris to meet both Roman Abramovich and (former chief executive) Peter Kenyon, but it didn't happen due to a few small factors."
Roberto Carlos would sign for the 28-time Turkish champions, Fenerbahce, in that same transfer window and spend three seasons at the club. Meanwhile, Chelsea signed Ashley Cole in place of Carlos as the prospect of Roberto Carlos gracing the Premier League remains one of the greatest 'what-ifs'.
