Six players Chelsea should have held on to

Ever since the arrival of Russian billionaire, Roman Abramovich, Chelsea Football Club has been a breeding ground for success. But, the cost for the oligarch’s thirst for immediate trophies has been steep. There has been a multitude of coaches who have come and gone, including highly successful ones such as Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho.But, it’s not just the managers who have paid the price at Stamford Bridge, as players have been discarded at the same alarming pace after they were deemed not good enough. While the West London side have undoubtedly achieved great success, both on and off the field, one feels they were a little too hasty in letting these six players go.

#1 Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard is Chelsea's highest ever goal scorer

Why Frank Lampard did not get an extension on his Chelsea contract is one of the most perplexing questions posed to the Blues’ hierarchy.

A true legend in West London, and one of the all-time greats to play the beautiful game of football, ‘Super Frank’ Lampard became Chelsea’s highest every goalscorer, from midfield. Not to mention, he won everything there was to be won in the club game – The Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the UEFA Champions League as well the Europa League.

Apart from his exploits in the blue of Chelsea, he would come back to haunt his former employers the following season in the blue of Manchester City (on loan from New York City FC) as he scored a late equaliser at the Etihad Stadium.

Even then, there was no one who received a bigger cheer that night that Chelsea’s favourite midfield son – a measure of the respect he commands.

#2 Arjen Robben

Robben won the UEFA Champion's League with Bayern Munich in 2013

World Cup finalist, UEFA Champion’s league winner, La Liga champion, and Bundesliga champion. Just a few of Arjen Robben’s accolades following his departure from Stamford Bridge.

One of the most devastating wingers of his generation, Robben first made his mark during Jose Mourinho’s first spell in charge of the Blues, following his move from Holland’s PSV Eindhoven. But, as brilliant as Robben was when he played, it was his injury prone body that convinced Chelsea to accept a big money bid from Real Madrid.

While he still struggled with injuries in the Spanish capital, it was his move to Bayern Munich in Germany that truly revitalized the Flying Dutchman, and he has gone to win a multitude of awards in the years since.

#3 Kevin De Bruyne

Kevin de Bruyne was named Bundesliga Player of the Year before his move to the Etihad

Signed from Genk on a £7 million deal, the Belgian midfielder was immediately loaned back on deadline day of the 2012 January window. After impressing in his homeland, and in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen, he was finally deemed ready for the Chelsea first team in August 2013, only to be sold the following January for £18 million to Wolfsburg.

One and a half electric years back in Germany – where he was the Bundesliga Player of the Year for 2014-2015 - earned him a club record £55 million move to Manchester City, he has hit the ground running, proving to be a key member of the Citizens’ side till his injury in the league cup clash against Everton.

#4 Tiago Mendes

Tiago later came back to haunt Chelsea in the Champions League

A relatively under the radar signing of the Abramovich era, Tiago proved to be one of the more useful members of the squad that won Chelsea’s first English League Championship for 50 years. A steady midfielder with an eye for the occasional screamer (as evidenced by this goal against Manchester United), he proved to be a shrewd buy.

In what Mourinho termed his biggest mistake though, he was inexplicably sold off to Lyon for a paltry £7 million. It’s easy to see why Mourinho thinks so highly of the midfielder though, as even now – a decade after he was unceremoniously kicked out of the Premier League, he remains a key figure at Atletico Madrid, where he even won an improbable league title against the might of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

#5 Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku has dazzled for the Merseyside club since his departure from Chelsea

The second Belgian on our list, the man called “The Next Drogba” is a striker that seems destined for greatness. Romelu Lukaku made a move to Chelsea as a teenager, and enjoyed a couple of highly successful spells at West Bromwich Albion and Everton.

It came as quite a surprise that a potential future superstar then made a move to the Toffees, as Chelsea deemed him surplus requirements following the arrival of Diego Costa. Everton paid an excess of £30 million for the young man, and after a shaky first season back on Merseyside, he has rediscovered his killer instinct, climbing to second in the BPL charts, behind Jamie Vardy.

Lukaku looks like the real deal who can be a top striker for at least the next decade.

#6 Juan Mata

Juan Mata is loved by the fans at Manchester United

The biggest casualty of Mourinho’s culling on his prodigal return to the Bridge. Juan Mata was Chelsea’s reigning Player of the Year for two years running, but found himself left out in the cold under the pragmatic Portuguese, as Mourinho didn’t feel he did enough defensively.

A winter transfer to Chelsea’s rivals Manchester United hasn’t dimmed his popularity in West London though, as he was warmly cheered and embraced by everyone on his return with United.

While he has struggled a bit under Louis van Gaal, he has shown glimpses of the man who was so loved and respected at Chelsea. Now playing regularly as part of United’s midfield, he seems to be finally coming into his own at Old Trafford. And, he has cemented his place in United folklore just with this one beauty against their hated rivals from Merseyside, Liverpool.

Chelsea fans though still dream of the “Three Amigo” days when he tormented defences with Oscar and Eden Hazard by his side.