10 Greatest Chelsea signings in Football History [Ranked]

Highlights

• Before the era of Todd Boehly, Chelsea's transfer dealings were much more successful.

• The club have not always been big spenders, with some of their most successful transfers coming at low fees.

• Former captains Dennis Wise and Frank Lampard make the cut, with the pair making more than 1,000 appearances.

Before the days of Todd Boehly's trigger-happy spending, Chelsea's recruitment department was a model of success, getting it right more often than not. The Blues enjoyed their most successful years under former owner Roman Abramovich, who sought to recruit some of the world's most outstanding talent, regardless of the cost.

From Didier Drogba's move from Marseille in 2004 to Frank Lampard's London switch in 2001, GIVEMESPORT has ranked some of the greatest deals the club has made over the years based on their success, longevity, ability, and value for money.

10 Cesar Azpilicueta

Chelsea career span: 2012-2023

Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2012 for a reported fee of £7.4 million from French giants Olympique Marseille. The 44-time capped Spanish defender's preferred position was right-back. However, during his Chelsea career, he was utilised in other roles, such as left-back and centre-back. When Italian manager Antonio Conte was appointed as head coach, Azpilicueta was once again moved into a new position at centre-back as a part of a three. The move brought great success to the team, winning the 2016/17 Premier League title, with Azpilicueta playing every minute of Chelsea's league matches.

Having spent several years as vice-captain, the Spanish defender was named club captain in 2019.

Two years later, the Spanish legend known by Chelsea fans as 'Dave' lifted the Champions League trophy in Porto after defeating Manchester City 1-0. In January 2023, Azpilicueta reached his 495th appearance for the club, the most any non-Englishman player has ever reached at the club.

9 Dennis Wise

Chelsea career span: 1990-2001

After signing for Chelsea for a then-club record at £1.6 million from Wimbledon, Dennis Wise bagged 13 goals in his first season. Wise was an incredibly hard-working midfielder, capable of playing on the wing and in the middle of the park. He made an impressive 427 appearances for the Blues across his 11-year stay at Stamford Bridge.

Across his 11-year stay at Stamford Bridge, Wise made an impressive 427 appearances for the Blues, making him the eighth most appeared player in the club's history. In 1993, Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle made Wise club captain, a role in which the Kensington-born midfielder lifted five trophies. The ex-skipper falls only behind John Terry as Chelsea's most successful captain and is regarded as one of the greatest leaders the club has ever had.

8 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Chelsea career span: 2000-2004

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, a member of Gareth Southgate's coaching staff in England at Euro 2024, spent four goal-filled years at Chelsea. After an impressive season with Atletico Madrid, the Dutchman completed a €22.5 million (£18.9 million) move to Stamford Bridge in 2000.

In his debut campaign as a Blue, the former Leeds United forward achieved the Golden Boot, just like his spell at Elland Road. During his time at the London club, Hasselbaink tallied an impressive 87 goals across 177 games due to his finishing ability and telepathic connection with striking partner Eidur Gudjohnsen.

7 Gianfranco Zola

Chelsea 1996-2003

After achieving European glory with Parma, starman Gianfranco Zola signed for Chelsea in a deal worth £7.4 million. The Italian playmaker effortlessly took to the Premier League, winning the Player of the Season award at the end of his debut campaign, the first Chelsea player to do so.

As Zola's seasons in blue went by, he continued to impress with his dazzling creative play and became regarded as one of the league's top players. Touted "a clever little so-and-so" by Sir Alex Ferguson, Zola was a nightmare for his opponents, scoring 80 goals in 312 games while in London. In 2003, the ex-Napoli attacker was voted the greatest-ever player to sport the Chelsea shirt, forever etching the Italian magician into the club's history.

6 Claude Makelele

Chelsea career span: 2003-2008

If a player has a statue or a stand in a stadium named after them, it is deemed a considerable honour; however, few can say they have a position named after them. Frenchman Claude Makelele is widely used as the benchmark for defensive midfielders globally, with the role, sometimes named 'the Makelele role'. The legendary holding midfielder acted as the lynchpin in some of Europe's greatest teams, including Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid.

After a highly successful three years at Los Blancos, Makelele swapped his galactico status for five hugely successful years at Stamford Bridge. After completing his £23.8 million move to Stamford Bridge, then-manager Claudio Ranieri said that Makelele would become the "battery" of the team, a statement that was certainly fulfilled. Chelsea's legendary number four's defensive know-how and tenacious play allowed his attacking colleagues to flourish. By the time Makelele left for PSG in 2008, he had won six major honours.

5 Ashley Cole

Chelsea career span: 2006-2014

Widely regarded as the greatest left-back in English and Premier League history, Ashley Cole famously made a controversial switch from boyhood club, Arsenal, to Chelsea in a £6.2 million deal. Cole blocked out the negativity and showed both the league and Europe his ability, with the legendary full-back shutting out some of the world's best attackers.

Although his defensive work was phenomenal, his attacking play was what separated him as one of the best, with Cole at times playing almost as a winger. After eight years of dominating the left-hand side of Chelsea, Cole left the club for Italian giants AS Roma in the summer of 2014 as a legend.

4 Eden Hazard

Chelsea career span: 2012-2019

Arguably the most talented player to ever grace the turf of Stamford Bridge, Eden Hazard was signed by Chelsea from French side LOSC Lille in a deal worth £29.4 million. Before his nightmare spell at the Bernabeu, the Belgian wizard was one of the best players in the world during his prime years as a Blue. His fearless dribbling, blistering pace and ability to create big moments from seemingly nothing brought Chelsea and their fans many memorable moments over the years.

Chelsea's ex-number ten scored 110 times for Chelsea in 352 appearances, making him the club's ninth-leading goalscorer. After a Player of the Season award, two Premier League titles, two Europa Leagues and two domestic cups, Hazard left Chelsea for Madrid in a record sale deal for the club, tallying up to a reported £101.3 million. The Belgian international retired from football in October 2023 and, despite his failed move to Spain, remains a Chelsea legend and is highly regarded as one of the club's greatest-ever players.

3 Didier Drogba

Chelsea 2004-2012 & 2014-2015

With 164 goals and two Premier League golden boots to his name, Didier Drogba was an incredibly feared centre-forward across two spells at Chelsea. After a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, the Ivorian forward soon found his feet, scoring in some huge matches for Chelsea, including the only goal in the 2007 FA Cup final against Manchester United. Arguably, though, his most memorable goal was his 88th-minute equaliser in the Champions League final vs Bayern Munich, which Chelsea went on to win thanks to Drogba's final spotkick of the shootout.

His pace and power caused problems for elite defenders across the Premier League and European competitions.

The two-time African Player of the Year left Chelsea in 2012 for seemingly one last hurrah in China. However, he returned to Stamford Bridge two years later before leaving for the final time in 2015. The Ivorian remains Chelsea's third-leading goalscorer and the club's top non-English goalscorer.

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2 Petr Cech

Chelsea career span: 2004-2015

Perhaps the greatest goalkeeper the Premier League has ever witnessed, Petr Cech made an astonishing 228 clean sheets in 494 games for Chelsea. During Cech's dazzling years between the posts at Stamford Bridge, he won an incredible seven Czech Republic Player of the Year awards. In addition, he won it all, picking up 15 pieces of silverware along his Chelsea journey before his eventual departure in 2015, when he joined Arsenal.

The Czech legend was also widely recognised for his unique rugby scrum hat look, which he wore due to a head injury he picked up in 2006. The former Chelsea number one has the second-most appearances for the club among non-English players, behind only Spaniard Azpilicueta.

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1 Frank Lampard

Chelsea 2001-2014

Englishman Frank Lampard joined Chelsea from London rivals West Ham United for £13.4 million in 2001, in what is the club's best-ever deal. From arriving at Stamford Bridge as a promising box-to-box midfielder to becoming a legendary goalscorer, Lampard has established himself as not only one of the Chelsea greats but also one of England's.

During his 13-year stay, Lampard scored 211 goals and 147 assists in 648 games, making him the club's record goalscorer and having the third-most appearances of any Chelsea player. By the time his time at Chelsea had reached its swansong, Lampard had won 11 trophies, becoming the fourth most decorated Chelsea player in the club's history. Since retiring from the game in 2017, the former England midfielder has embarked on a career in management, where he has spent two spells in charge of Chelsea, the second of which on a caretaker basis.