Chelsea’s most successful period in their history came under the rule of the now direct owner, Roman Abramovich.
The billionaire has been at the helm of the club for the past 19 years, during which time the Blues won all the awards on offer.
Billions of Russians made it possible for the London club to compete with the elite, signing the best in this sport.
Over the years, he’s pumped in millions to sign the best players in the game, and we take a look at the most expensive players during that time.
6. Fernando Torres – 50 million pounds
The Spaniard became the most expensive player in the club’s history when he joined the Blues in January 2011 from Premier League rival Liverpool for £50m.
He struggled to reach the same levels he had at Merseyside FC, scoring just seven goals in his first 46 league appearances.
This was in stark contrast to his form at Anfield, where he scored 65 league goals in just 102 appearances.
However, he will be remembered for this goal against Barcelona in the Champions League second leg at Camp Nou as the Blues went on to win their first-ever title.
5- Christian Pulisic – 57.6 million pounds
Believe it or not, the American player is among the top five among the most expensive players signed during the Abramovich era.
The 23-year-old was signed from Borussia Dortmund in January 2019 in a £57.6m deal.
He has yet to live up to expectations, with constant injuries hampering his growth significantly.
Despite his struggles, he has shown that he can grow into an important player for the Blues.
He played a key role in Europe last season cutting the Blues all the way, scoring some crucial goals in the process.
In total, he scored 21 goals in 100 matches for the London club.
4- Alvaro Morata – 60 million pounds
Chelsea broke their transfer record again in July 2017, this time signing Spanish striker Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid.
The striker had impressed while on loan to Juventus and was signed to lead the new Blues attack alongside players such as Eden Hazard and Willian.
After a brilliant start, the Spaniard fizzled out and dropped a disappointing number, eventually leaving on loan before signing permanently with Atlético Madrid after just two years in London.
He scored a total of 24 goals in 72 matches.
3. Kepa Arrizabalaga – £71 million
After Thibaut Courtois lost to Real Madrid, Chelsea were looking for a new goalkeeper, and they saw Kepa Arrizabalaga at Athletic Bilbao.
Sensing their desperation, Bilbao put them in a “take it or leave it” position, eventually forcing the Blues to pay an astronomical £71m.
He was seen as a perfect replacement for Petr Cech, but after two years of constant mistakes, he was finally replaced by Edward Mendy at the start of last season.
2. Kai Havertz – £73 million
Havertz has made a name for himself in Germany, scoring 46 goals in just 150 matches for Bayer Leverkusen.
He was seen as a generational talent, and Chelsea won the race to sign him, ahead of the likes of Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
However, the young man had a hard time, although he gave fans moments to celebrate.
He scored the winning goal in the Champions League final last season, and also scored in the winning penalty shootout in the FIFA Club World Cup.
1. Romelu Lukaku – 98 million pounds
Lukaku got a second chance at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea failed to persuade Erling Haaland to join them.
The Belgian started off superbly, scoring on his UAE debut, but has since struggled to score in a number of matches, with many questioning his suitability for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
To date, the striker has scored 11 goals from 30 matches in all competitions.
