Chelsea are undoubtedly one of the biggest clubs in world football presently. Ever since the Premier League began in 1992 and following the subsequent takeover by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2004, the club’s profile has been inching steadily upwards.
Since the Premier League era began in 1992, the Blues have signed more than their fair share of strikers. From Mark Hughes down to Alvaro Morata, a dizzying variety of frontmen with different attributes have arrived for some very high fees.
There have been huge successes, Didier Drogba was a snip for the £24 million the Blues paid for him in 2005, while Diego Costa was majestic for the side, bulldozing his way to two Premier League titles in 3 and a half seasons. Other successes include Hernan Crespo, Jimmy Floyd-Hasslebaink, Nicholas Anelka amongst others.
Here is a look at 5 quality strikers who were brilliant elsewhere but failed to deliver whilst at Chelsea:
#5 Carlton Cole (2001-2006)
A lot was expected of Cole when he made his debut for the club during the 2000/01 Premier League season as an understudy to Hasslebaink and Gianfranco Zola. Then manager Claudio Ranieri had described Cole as one of the best young talents in the world, everyone thought he was going to become the new local lad who made it; in the mould of Dennis Wise and Graeme Le Saux.
However, his lack of technique, sense of positioning and inability to deliver the goods meant that he was always seen as an option off the bench. Of the 5 seasons he spent at the club, three were on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic, and Aston Villa.
He never fulfilled his potential and in 31 games for the club, he only got 8 goals.
#4 Mateja Kezman (2004-2005)
Pacy, direct with a low centre of gravity and deadly finishing, it was expected that the pocket dynamo would be tailor-made for the helter-skelter world of English football.
It turned out to be a disaster of epic proportions as Kezman looked hopelessly out of his depth as the team’s Arrowhead. While he wasn’t helped by the conservatism and constant tinkering of then manager Claudio Ranieri, the striker looked like a deer caught in headlights and in his only full season in England; he hit the net 7 times in 41 matches.
A season later, he was sold to Atletico Madrid for £5.3 million, the same amount for which he was bought.
#3 Claudio Pizarro (2007-2008)
The giant Peruvian had been one of Europe’s best strikers during his time at German club Werder Bremen where he became the club’s record goalscorer and the highest foreign goalscorer in Bundesliga history.
#2 Andriy Shevchenko (2006-2009)
It was never going to work out for the Ballon d’Or winner at Stamford Bridge.
At this point, Shevchenko had lost some of his deadly pace due to age and a succession of injuries. With Mourinho refusing to tweak his tactics and the incompatibility with the midfield at that point meant that he could only score 22 goals in 77 appearances for the club during his rather sad stay in England.
#1 Fernando Torres (2011-2015)
Before his ill-fated time at Stamford Bridge, El Nino had been one of Europe’s most deadly strikers. During his time with boyhood club Atletico Madrid and later on with Liverpool, he was a sight to behold.
However, the serious injuries he had suffered in his last two seasons at Anfield seemed to sap the energy and ability from him. When he joined Chelsea in the 2011 January transfer window for a then British record fee of £50 million, it seemed a perfect move.
To be fair to Chelsea, Torres was given ample chances to prove himself. To be fair to Torres himself, he tried to put in a shift and worked hard but it just never clicked for him.
