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Over the years, Chelsea Football Club have established themselves as a superpower in European football and have been one of the most successful clubs in the modern era of the Premier League. While their success can be attributed to the fact that some of the best managers in the world have graced the club over the years, the Blues have never shied away from spending the big bucks in the transfer market.
Since Israeli Russian multi-billionaire Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003, Chelsea have sent out massive statements of intent in terms of transfers and have often signed the best players in the world, a setup that has contributed to their on-field success.
Despite chopping and changing manager for fun over the years, the Blues have enjoyed continued success and it could be argued that such a regime has been instrumental in their rise to the top, as they've spared no expense in their course for glory whilst making it clear that they will not tolerate mediocrity.
While Manchester United's capture of Paul Pogba for a record-breaking £89 million fee in 2017 remains the Premier League record for the highest sum paid by an English club to secure the services of a player, Chelsea have been involved in several high profile captures themselves in recent Premier League history. That said, here are 10 players who broke the club's transfer record at the time of signing.
*All figures are correct as per transfermarkt.com
#10 Michy Batshuayi (2016, €39 million)
Signed by Antonio Conte in the summer of 2016, Michy Batshuayi is 10th on the list of Chelsea's transfer record signings and the Belgian striker has enjoyed a tumultuous spell in England, since making the move from Marseille in Ligue 1.
While he played second fiddle to Diego Costa in the Blues' title-winning 2016-17 season, Batshuayi will be remembered for a long time, as his crowning moment came when he scored the goal that sealed Chelsea the title that year, coming off the bench to score the solitary goal in the 1-0 victory against West Bromwich Albion.
After the arrival of Alvaro Morata in the following summer, Batshuayi fell further down the pecking order and was loaned out to Crystal Palace, as he returned to the club this summer under Frank Lampard.
He is currently Chelsea's second-choice striker behind academy graduate Tammy Abraham and his tally of 25 goals and 6 assists from 75 appearances for the club doesn't exactly set the world on fire.
#9 Tiemoue Bakayoko (2017, €40 million)
Signed in the summer of 2017 to partner the ever so reliable N'Golo Kante, Tiemoue Bakayoko signed for Chelsea after the Blues won the battle to his signature over Manchester United. The French midfielder was one of the most sought after players in the market at the time and famously teased the Red Devils on social media, before eventually signing for Chelsea.
Described as a proper modern-day box to box midfielder, Bakayoko made a name for himself in his home country, as he played a pivotal role for Monaco in their sensational title-winning season in 2016-17. In England, however, he looked a shadow of his former self and experienced a torrid time with the Blues, as Chelsea as a whole fell flat in the 2017-18 season.
He was shipped off to AC Milan on loan for the forthcoming, where he experienced a renaissance of sorts, before returning to Monaco on loan for the current campaign. Bakayoko remains 9th on Chelsea's list of record signings and it remains likely that the Blues will cut their losses and sell him in the summer.
#8 Hakim Ziyech (2020, €40 million)
Hakim Ziyech's impending arrival in the summer has created a sense of optimism and buzz amongst the Chelsea fans, as the Moroccan superstar has agreed a deal in principle to sign for the club at the end of the season.
Known for his matchwinning capability from the centre of the park, Ziyech is equally adept at playing on either wing and has made a name for himself as one of the best players in the Eredivisie, as he played a starring role in Ajax's success over the last 3 years.
Coveted by some of the biggest clubs in the world, Ziyech came close to signing for Roma two seasons and ago and after that move failed to materialize, Sevilla also tried and failed to secure his signature in the summer of 2019. However, Chelsea have moved quickly to sign him and have agreed a pre-contract with the Ajax man, as he looks set to join at the end of the season.
Ziyech was one of the cornerstones of the Ajax side that came within minutes of setting up a UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool in 2019, as a late Lucas Moura strike to complete his hattrick broke their hearts and condemned them to defeat in the second leg of the semi-final.
The 26-year-old is all set to take England by storm and is expected to add some much-needed creativity to the Chelsea midfield, as their current midfielders in Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Jorginho cannot offer what he does in the final third.
#7 Andriy Shevchenko (2006, €43.9 million)
Signed by Jose Mourinho for a then English record fee of €43 million, Andriy Shevchenko was one of the most feared strikers in the world at the time and was expected to take the Blues to new heights, as he was widely regarded as one of the best players in the world in his position.
Shevchenko's stint in England, however, didn't go as planned as he struggled with injuries and inconsistencies during his time at the club. Mourinho offered him the #7 shirt and the striker arrived with superstar status, something he ultimately failed to live up to.
The Ukranian striker made just 48 appearances for the club and in the process, found the back of the net 9 times - a tally that neither paid dividends to his transfer fee, nor did his project his outrageous ability as a footballer.
Shevchenko returned to Milan on loan for the 2008-09 season but failed to get his career back on track, as he was sold to Dinamo Kyiv at the end of the season after just 2 goals in all competitions for the Rossoneri.
#6 Mateo Kovacic (2019, €45 million)
Having spent the 2018-19 season on loan at Chelsea from Real Madrid, Mateo Kovacic made a permanent move to Stamford Bridge last summer, making him the 6th most expensive purchase in the club's history, as he joined for a fee believed to be in the region of €45 million despite the Blues' transfer ban.
While he divided opinion his loan spell under Maurizio Sarri, Kovacic has come of age this season and has established himself as a vital cog of Frank Lampard's side, as he was one of their best players in the first 3 months of the season. Kovacic is one of the most press resistant players in world football and the Croatian's dribbling coupled with his ability to wriggle his way out of tight spaces makes him a unique midfield talent.
While he won several major trophies in his time at Real Madrid, Kovacic was never an undisputed starter for Los Blancos, due to which he made a permanent move to the Premier League. The midfielder is just 25 years old now, which feels rather unbelievable as he's been around for a while now and represented the likes of Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea in his young career so far.
The Croatian midfielder has turned his career around and is a key player for Lampard, as the Blues look to finish the season strongly and continue their resurgence under their former club captain.
#5 Jorginho (2018, €57 million)
Another midfielder on the list, Jorginho arrived in the summer of 2018 for a hefty €57 million fee, as he reunited with manager Maurizio Sarri for the third time in his career, having previously played under his compatriot at Hellas Verona and Napoli. The midfield maestro came with a reputation and was coveted by some of the biggest clubs in the world, as Pep Guardiola reportedly viewed him as the long term heir to Fernandinho.
The former Napoli man, however, rejected advances from Manchester City and signed for Chelsea instead, as he helped the Blues to the Europa League trophy and a third-place finish in the Premier League. Jorginho, a deep-lying midfielder by trade, was often slated for his lack of mobility and defensive awareness and the Italian has divided opinion in his time at the club.
Under Frank Lampard, the 28-year-old is viewed as one of the leaders of the side and was also named the club's vice-captain earlier this season, a move that was seen as a statement of faith from the Englishman.
#4 Fernando Torres (2011, €58.5 million)
Fernando Torres' decision to swap Liverpool for Chelsea in 2011 was one of the headline moves of the January transfer window, as the Spaniard accused the Reds of lacking ambition and joined the London club for a fee of 58.5 million, which was the British record fee at the time.
The Spaniard, regarded as one of the best #9s in world football, scored goals for fun at Liverpool and formed a telepathic understanding with club captain Steven Gerrard, as he endeared himself to the Liverpool faithful in next to no time and went down as a firm fan favourite. Since moving to Chelsea, however, his performances nosedived due to a combination of recurring injuries and poor form, as he is regarded as one of the worst value for money signings in the club's history.
While he won the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League in his time with Chelsea, Torres failed to reach the heights of his Liverpool days and did nowhere near enough to justify his hefty price tag, as he endured a tough loan spell at AC Milan before being flogged off to Atletico Madrid in 2016 after scoring just 20 times for the Blues.
#3 Christian Pulisic (2019, €66 million)
Chelsea were in the market to replace the outgoing the Eden Hazard in January 2019, as there was an air of inevitability around the fact that the Belgian superstar would finally get his dream move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
In the meantime, the Blues wasted no time in signing a replacement, as they agreed a big-money deal with Borussia Dortmund for the signing of Christian Pulisic, with the American agreeing a deal in principle with the club at the time.
After a slow start to life in England, Pulisic scored a brilliant hat-trick against Burnley in October, as he announced himself to the Blues faithful in some style. Since then, American football's hottest commodity hs blown hot and cold but he remains an integral part of Lampard's set up, as Chelsea look to move into a new era after the loss of Hazard.
While the 66 million transfer fee could be termed excessive, Pulisic's talent is unquestionable and he's shown glimpses of his potential in his time at the club so far. The 21-year-old has a bright future ahead of him and looks all set to become a pivotal player for the club in the future.
#2 Alvaro Morata (2017, €66 million)
After Antonio Conte fell out with talisman Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata was earmarked as the man to replace his compatriot after Chelsea's unlikely title win in the 2016-17 season. Morata was subject to a Premier League transfer tussle in the summer of 2017, as the Blues eventually pipped Manchester United to his signature and the Spaniard took next to no time in announcing his arrival in England, as he scored on his league debut for the club in their opening day loss to Burnley.
Since then, however, Morata cut a sorry figure at the club and although he scored the occasional goal, he had grown disgruntled with life in London, which eventually took a toll on his performances for the club.
18 months, 42 appearances and 16 goals later, the Spaniard returned to his homeland, this time to the other side of the capital, as Atletico Madrid secured his signature despite his former association with arch-rivals Real Madrid.
While Chelsea managed to recoup most of the money they paid to sign him, his time in London was not memorable as his Stamford Bridge exit left a sour taste amongst the fans two years since his arrival.
#1 Kepa Arrizabalaga (2018, €80 million)
Kepa Arrizabalaga was drafted in as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois, who left to join Real Madrid in the summer of 2018. After missing out on Alisson Becker to Liverpool, the Blues shelled out a world record €80 million fee to secure his signature and although the Spaniard has produced moments of brilliance in his time at the club, his form has dropped considerably this season.
The former Athletic Bilbao man has cost the Blues points on several occasions and was even dropped by manager Frank Lampard recently, with second choice goal Willy Caballero donning the gloves for their previous league encounter.
While the young Spaniard's talent is unquestionable, his concentration has let him down several times this season, as the Blues' defensive woes have been compounded by his poor form between the sticks.
There have been rumours that the Arrizabalaga could be shipped off at the end of the season owing to his below-par performances, as Chelsea look to cut their losses and upgrade on him, with Andre Onana and Thomas Strakosha mentioned as potential replacements. All in all, the 25-year-old has been far from convincing since swapping Spain for England and is running out of time to turn his fortunes around and produce the goods for his club.
