While they’ve made their fair share of dud signings over the years, Chelsea have now got a squad full of brilliant talents.
The likes of Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Levi Colwill, and Joao Pedro could be key reasons the club go on to win the biggest honours in European football over the coming years.
However, while they have brought in some brilliant players in the last few years, the club does have a record of letting some genuinely world-class talents leave for next to nothing.
That is what they did with an incredibly dangerous forward who is currently on fire in Europe and even outscoring Pedro.
Superstars Chelsea let go too soon
When talking about the best players that Chelsea let leave far too early in their careers and for far too little money, it is impossible not to bring up a certain Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian international joined the Blues from FC Basel in January 2014, but after failing to impress in West London, he was sent out on loan to Fiorentina a year later. He then spent a year at AS Roma before joining the Italian side on a permanent deal the following summer.
Just a year and a campaign in which he racked up 33 goal involvements in 41 games later, Liverpool swooped in and since then, the 33 has played 410 games for the Reds, in which he’s scored 248 goals, provided 116 assists and won practically all there is to win in the club game.
Another blunder that was arguably just as bad involves another serial winner, Kevin De Bruyne.
The midfield maestro joined the club from Genk in January 2012, but remained with the Belgian outfit for the rest of the campaign, and was then sent to Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen the following season.
The Drongen-born legend finally made his competitive debut for the Blues at the start of the 13/14 campaign, but with game time limited, he was eventually sold to VfL Wolfsburg in January.
It was with the German side that the 34-year-old really started to show people what he could do, and after producing a staggering 44 goal involvements in 51 appearances in the 14/15 season, he moved to Manchester City.
During his time at the Etihad, the legendary midfielder made 422 appearances, scored 108 goals, provided 177 assists, won six Premier Leagues, one Champions League and a mountain of other cups.
In all, it would be fair to say Chelsea got it very wrong selling Salah and De Bruyne, and while the pair are the worst example of the club moving on players too soon, there is now another former Blue who is looking incredible this season.
The former Chelsea player outscoring Pedro
While everyone brings up Salah and De Bruyne as examples of Chelsea getting rid of players too soon, few say the same about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.
After all, the former Arsenal captain was pretty awful the season he spent at Stamford Bridge, scoring just three goals and providing one assist in 21 appearances before leaving to join Marseille for free with a year still left on his Blues contract.
However, while his reputation in West London isn’t great, the Gabonese goalscorer rediscovered his form as soon as he left.
For example, in a single campaign in the South of France, the 36-year-old star scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 51 appearances, but instead of staying on, he made a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League.
Unsurprisingly, the “world-class” striker, as dubbed by Behdad Eghbali, continued to be a lethal goal threat in the Middle Eastern state, racking up an impressive tally of 24 goal involvements in 36 games for Al-Qadsiah.
However, he once again left after just a single campaign, once again returning to the Stade Vélodrome this summer.
Impressively, the veteran forward still seems to be as deadly in front of the goal as he ever has been, and in just seven appearances, has already scored four goals and provided three assists – more than justifying the claim from Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley that he is “one of the best finishers of the last 15 years.”
Appearances
7
8
Minutes
427′
631′
Goals
4
2
Assists
3
3
Goal Involvements per Match
1
0.62
Minutes per Goal Involvement
61′
126.2
For comparison’s sake, Maresca’s new forward, Pedro, has also had a bright start to the season, but has only scored two goals and provided three assists in eight appearances.
Ultimately, hindsight is 20-20, but perhaps Chelsea should have persevered with Aubameyang and kept him on for another year as, since leaving the club, he’s been scoring for fun.
