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Chelsea have had many world-class players over the years and a lot of top French players have turned out for the west London club in the Premier League. Since France are a dominant side in world football, many Frenchmen have played in the Premier League, with several of them being on the books at Chelsea over the years.
If Chelsea end up securing a deal for Sevilla star Jules Kounde, who is heavily linked to the club, this trend will continue.
Plenty of great French players have played for Chelsea
Many of France's greatest players played a key role in Chelsea's transition from being strivers in the Ken Bates era to being champions in the Roman Abrahimovich era. Players like Marcel Desailly, Claude Makelele, Nicolas Anelka and William Gallas have won numerous honors during their time at the club.
While some of these players do make our list, William Gallas has been excluded due to the nature of his departure from the club.
So here we take a look at five of the best French players who have plied their trade at Stamford Bridge:
#5 Florent Malouda
Florent Malouda came to Chelsea from Lyon in 2007 and was exactly the type of experienced, proven player that Jose Mourinho was eager to have in his side.
Unfortunately for him, Mourinho departed shortly after Malouda's arrival and the Frenchman was used in a bit-part role for two seasons. However, Malouda solidified his place in the team in 2009-10 with 33 appearances and 12 goals.
Primarily a left-sided midfielder or forward, he played as part of a front-three and in deeper midfield roles during his time at Chelsea. He has won several accolades at the club, including three FA Cups, the Champions League and the Premier League title.
Malouda was also voted Players' Player of the Year for his performances in the 2009-10 title-winning season.
Malouda left Chelsea in bitter circumstances. He was put on the transfer list in 2012 but refused to sign for any team that would pay him less than what he was earning at Chelsea.
As such, he was banished to the U21 squad in his final year and made no appearances that season. He subsequently joined Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer the following summer.
Irrespective of how it ended for him at Chelsea, Malouda enjoyed the peak of his career at Stamford Bridge and is still fondly remembered for his contributions.
#4 Frank Leboeuf
Frank Leboeuf joined Chelsea from Strasbourg in 1996 and spent five seasons at the club.
During his time at Chelsea he won two FA Cups, a League Cup, and a Cup Winner's Cup. The Frenchman was also a member of the side that came close to winning the Premier League title in 1999.
Lebouef, a cultured defender with excellent technique, was also a prolific penalty taker and scored 17 spot-kicks for the Blues. He also managed to score several long range goals during his 204 appearances for the club.
Lebouef was also a member of France's 1998 World Cup winning squad, becoming only the second player after Peter Bonetti to win the World Cup while at Chelsea.
The defender left Chelsea in 2001 and had spells at Marseille, Al-Sadd SC and Hollywood United before finally retiring in 2007.
He later became an actor and starred in several Hollywood movies including the Oscar nominated film, The Theory of Everything.
#3 Marcel Desailly
Marcel Desailly is one of the few Chelsea players to have achieved more with his national team than with the Blues. The defender won the World Cup with France in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000.
Before coming to Chelsea, he won the Serie A league title at AC Milan. Desailly also won back-to-back Champions League titles with two different clubs, Marseille and Milan.
Nicknamed 'The Rock', the World Cup-winner was not only powerful in central defense but also displayed admirable quality on the ball. Desailly helped Chelsea qualify for the Champions League for the first time and also lifted the UEFA Super Cup in his debut season at the club.
He also won the FA Cup with Chelsea in 2000 and formed a solid partnership with Frank Lebouef at the back before the the latter's departure.
Desailly became Chelsea captain and took young John Terry under his wing, helping the Englishman evolve into a solid presence in the Chelsea back four. Terry then succeeded Desailly as club captain when the French international departed the club in 2004.
#2 Claude Makelele
Having a signature move or pose named after you is a solid legacy. Claude Makelele achieved much more than that and got the central defensive midfield position named after him: the Makelele role.
Prior to arriving at Chelsea, not many people had heard of Makelele or understood his role in a football team. His natural sense and style of play became a revolution in the game.
While Claudio Ranieri was the one to bring Makelele to Stamford Bridge, it was Jose Mourinho who made the Frenchman truly great.
Makelele was the pivot in Jose Mourinho's three-man midfield. The Frenchman's positioning, control and tackling enabled Michael Essien and Frank Lampard to play box-to-box as playmakers and goalscorers.
Without the support of Makelele, Lampard would not have been able to venture forward as much, which eventually helped him on his way to becoming Chelsea's all-time leading scorer.
Makelele made 217 appearances for Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups and the FA Cup. He left Chelsea for PSG in 2008 before finally retiring in 2011.
#1 N'Golo Kante
Kante is tipped to become arguably the greatest defensive midfielder in football history. A player who made pundits think about renaming the Makelele position. The Frenchman has been absolutely phenomenal for Chelsea since arriving in 2016.
Kante moved to Stamford Bridge after winning the Premier League with Leicester for a fee of £32 million. That has proved to be a real bargain for the Blues.
In his five years at the club, Kante has managed to win the Premier League, the Champions League, the Europa League and the FA Cup. He also played a key part in France's World Cup win in 2018. Kante was also voted France's Footballer of the Year in 2017.
His dynamism and energy, combined with his defensive acumen, has propelled Kante to the top of the footballing world. He had a subdued 2019-20 season and many believed that the 30-year-old's footballing powers were waning.
But he was back to his best last season, helping Chelsea win the Champions League.
Were it not for France's Round 16 exit at Euro 2020, Kante would have been odds-on to compete with Lionel Messi for the Ballon d'Or.
Without the shadow of a doubt, Kante will be integral to whatever Chelsea do in the years to come. The Blues are already preparing a new contract to tie him down at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future.
