Top 10 most expensive Chelsea signings of all time

FC Bayern Muenchen v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League Final
Chelsea have been one of the most successful clubs in Europe in the 21st century

Chelsea has become one of the biggest clubs in football thanks to a trophy-laden decade and a half under Russian owner Roman Abramovich.

The Blues have left behind their mid-table status and are now one of the biggest spenders in world football - thanks to the deep pockets of the Russian oligarch.

The Stamford Bridge outfit have never looked back since the Roman empire began in London and have spent huge sums of money on players the 'boss' deemed fit for Chelsea.


#10 Antonio Rudiger

Chelsea v Swansea City - Premier League
Rudiger was wanted by Antonio Conte for a long-time and the Italian finally got his wish

Rudiger was not the first choice for Blues boss Antonio Conte as the Italian wanted to sign then Juventus defender and now AC Milan skipper Leonardo Bonucci - but the former Azzurii boss was once again left disappointing as he had to settle for the second-best.

However, Rudiger has made a name for himself playing in a three-man defence at Roma so it did not take him long to fit-in at Chelsea and with him being just 25 right now, the initial £29 million Chelsea spent on him could look to be a bargain.

Rudiger has been consistent since joining the Blues and is expected to be a part of Chelsea's team for a long time as the Blues look to build a team for the future.

#9 Andriy Shevchenko

Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League
The Ballon d'Or winner failed to make an impact at the Stamford Bridge.

The iconic Ukranian was brought in from AC Milan in 2006 for a fee of just over £30 million to complement Didier Drogba at the heart of Chelsea's attack.

Shevchenko arrived at the Bridge with a massive reputation having won the Ballon d'Or with AC Milan in 2004 - the Ukraine skipper was touted for great things at Chelsea.

The striker, however, turned out to be a huge flop at Stamford Bridge as he could only manage 22 goals in 77 appearances for the club and was loaned back to the Rossoneri.

#8 N'Golo Kante

Arsenal v Chelsea - Premier League
Kante was a steal for Chelsea

The Frenchman arrived at Chelsea on the back of winning a miraculous Premier League title with Leicester City in the 2015/16 season for a bargain price of £30 million.

He was dubbed as the long-term replacement of club legend Michael Essien and has so far lived up to the expectations as he has become the backbone of Chelsea's midfield.

The France international helped the Blues win the Premier League in his debut season for the club and has become a fan favorite in West London due to his never tiring work ethic.

Kante has been instrumental for Conte's Chelsea as the France midfielder is the most influential player in the middle of the pitch for the Blues.

#7 Diego Costa

Chelsea v West Ham United - Premier League
Costa had a fruitful spell at Chelsea

The Spanish international was booed heavily by the Stamford Bridge faithful after his goal knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League in 2014 but was able to turn things around as he signed for the club in the summer of the same year.

Costa arrived in London for a fee of £32 million and quickly adjusted at his new club - guiding Chelsea to a Premier League title in his first season.

Costa made 89 league appearances for Chelsea scoring 52 goals and providing 16 assists during his three-year stay at the Bridge.

The Spaniard went on to win another title with the Blues before being told by manager Antonio Conte that his services were no longer required at Chelsea and he was sold back to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2017.

#6 Eden Hazard

Stoke City v Chelsea - Premier League
Hazard has since become one of the world's best players for a while now

Hazard needs no introduction to football fans in any part of the world as the Belgian has made a huge name for himself since moving to Chelsea in 2012.

The Blues won the race for the forward's signature after winning their first Champions League title in 2012 under Roberto Di Matteo.

The Belgian has settled very well in West London and is become the most influential player in the current Chelsea team having scored 68 goals and providing 38 assists in 200 league appearances.

With two Premier League titles, a League Cup win and Europa League triumph alongside the 2015 PFA Player of the Year - the Belgium skipper has delivered on his early promise especially when the modest transfer fee; £32 million is considered.

#5 Michy Batshuayi

Chelsea v Newcastle United - The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Batshuayi struggled for game time at Chelsea

The Batman arrived at Chelsea with a huge reputation - having scored 23 goals for Marseille but failed to break into the first-team thanks to some phenomenal goalscoring form by Diego Costa.

However, the Belgium international did manage to shine whenever the opportunity presented itself including the 2016/17 title-winning goal at West Brom. He has scored a total of seven goals and two assists in 32 appearances for the Blues.

He is currently on loan at Borussia Dortmund where he has found his lost mojo back and is surely set for a return to Stamford Bridge come next season where he will try to justify his £33 million transfer fee.

#4 David Luiz

Chelsea v Arsenal - The FA Community Shield
Chelsea re-signed David Luiz just 2 years after selling him to PSG

The Geezer is one of the most loved Chelsea players of the current generation - having won the Champions League with the Blues before leaving for Paris Saint Germain for £50m; a record fee for a defender at that time.

Luiz returned to Chelsea on deadline day in the summer of 2016 and quickly regained a spot in the first XI.

He helped the Blues cruise to the Premier League title proving the cynics wrong and was a central component in Antonio Conte's 3-man defense.

The £34 million Chelsea paid to re-sign the Brazil international was well justified - but he has once again been frozen out of the first-team after falling out with Conte at the start of the season and is rumored to be leaving the club at the end of the season.

#3 Tiemoue Bakayoko

Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth - Carabao Cup Quarter-Final
Bakayoko arrived with much fanfare but is yet to justify the huge price tag that Chelsea spent to sign him.

Bakayoko arrived at Chelsea with much fanfare from Monaco - having helped the French club to a Ligue 1 title.

Bakayoko became Chelsea's second most expensive player at the time with a fee in the region of £40 million and was touted to replace the recently sold Nemanja Matic who left for Manchester United but has so far been disappointing and failed to cement his place in the starting eleven.

However, Bakayoko is still struggling to find his feet in the Premier League as the France international has been a shadow of his former self. The former Monaco man will be looking to turn things around come next season.

#2 Fernando Torres

Chelsea v Manchester City - Premier League
Torres was one of the deadliest strikers in the world when Chelsea paid a British transfer fee for him

El Nino arrived at Chelsea from Liverpool for a then British transfer record fee of £50 million. Torres was paired with the aging Didier Drogba as Roman Abramovich spent big to win the elusive Champions League that he so dreaded.

The World Cup winner, however, struggled to replicate his Liverpool form at Chelsea and was a huge flop barring that famous goal at the Nou Camp that helped Chelsea knock Barcelona out of the UCL.

Torres could only manage a meager 45 goals in 172 appearances for Chelsea during his three-and-a-half year stay at Stamford Bridge.

#1 Alvaro Morata

Chelsea v Everton - Premier League
Chelsea signed Real Madrid's super sub at the start of the 2017/18 season.

Another Spaniard that Chelsea has spent big on is Alvaro Morata who made his name during his time with Juventus and at Real Madrid under Zinedine Zidane.

Roman Abramovich splashed the cash on the Spain international as the Blues paid a staggering £60 million for the former Juve star after Chelsea sold Diego Costa.

The 25-year-old has had a decent start to life in West London having scored 10 goals for Conte's side in 24 appearances in the Premier League and has found his scoring touch back as he will look to cement his place in the starting eleven.

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Edited by Alan John