Chelsea’s 34 signings under Todd Boehly ranked

Highlights

• Todd Boehly’s spending spree at Chelsea has seen over £1 billion spent on new players in just three transfer windows.
• Raheem Sterling was seen as a fantastic coup for Chelsea, but his time at the club under different managers hasn’t gone as hoped.
• Chelsea’s acquisitions include both promising young talents and experienced players, with varying levels of success and potential for the future.

Since acquiring Chelsea in May 2022, Todd Boehly has embarked on a significant spending spree, bringing in a plethora of talent to Stamford Bridge. In just four transfer windows during his time in charge of the club, the American has spent over £1 billion on new players – a truly staggering figure.

While most of the 34 players are ones to keep an eye on in the future, there are still a handful of stars who’d already gained experience elsewhere. There have been plenty who have failed to live up to their price tags; however, a select few have enjoyed some success since joining the Premier League giants.

Given the Blues’ poor form at the moment, it’s easy for rival fans to mock the club’s struggles given the fact that they’ve spent so much money and it’s yet to pay off – but who has been the most successful acquisition under the American so far?

Ranking factors

• Importance to the team – The more they’ve contributed, the higher their place on the list.
• Goals – Goals win games, after all.
• Value for money – Individuals who’ve justified their price tags stand a far better chance of finishing high on the list.
• Potential – Some players on the list should become valuable assets in the forthcoming years.

34 Jimmy-Jay Morgan

£6 million from Southampton

It’s worth noting that the first few names on the list aren’t necessarily the worst signings, they’re just relatively unknown at the moment and could go on to succeed at the club. Jimmy-Jay Morgan, signed from Southampton for £6m, represents Chelsea’s commitment to nurturing young talent.

The 17-year-old’s raw talent attracted the interest of Chelsea’s scouts, who wanted him as part of their academy, and Boehly made it happen. Morgan was at the club from 2014-17, before moving on to Southampton, but has now returned to the Blues, where it all began for him. He’s yet to play a game for the club, but could well become a first team player over the next few years.

33 Ishe Samuels-Smith

£4 million from Everton

Ishe Samuels-Smith joined Chelsea’s youth set-up for £4m from Everton in July 2023. While the defender hasn’t played for the first team yet, like some of the other names on this list, he could end up being one for the future. A versatile player who can either play at centre-back or as a full-back, the young Englishman could be sent out on loan for the 2024-25 campaign in search of regular minutes.

Samuels-Smith, who was an unused sub in the men’s first team match against AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup in August 2023, has time on his side – and at the age of 17, the club will not be looking to rush him into the senior squad just yet.

32 Alex Matos

Free transfer from Norwich City

Alex Matos joined Chelsea from Norwich on a free transfer in the summer of 2023. He is a midfielder who can also play as part of the attacking line, impressing the club’s scouts during his minutes for Norwich’s Under-18 and Under-21 sides last year. He made his senior debut for the London giants in a 2-0 away win against Fulham back in October 2023 and has already shown in first-team training for the Blues.

Given how stacked the club is in terms of squad depth, it was always going to be difficult for Matos to get regular minutes for the first team in the 2023-24 campaign. He was eventually loaned out to Championship side Huddersfield in January 2024, where he has since gone on to establish himself as a starter. It really is far too early to tell how he will fare at Chelsea, but the future does seem bright for him.

31 Diego Moreira

Free transfer from Benfica

Diego Moreira, who joined Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, will bring even more excitement to the wings for the Blues. His flair, vision, and creativity are traits that attracted the attention of the club’s scouts, who clearly saw the transfer of the player as a low-risk move.

The 19-year-old was loaned out to Ligue 1 side Lyon ahead of the 2023/24 season; unfortunately, the winger failed to establish himself as a first team regular with the French club and was recalled by the Blues in January 2024. Either Moreira will impress at Stamford Bridge and become a key player for the side over the next few years, or he won’t and higher-ups will work on selling him for a profit.

30 Omari Hutchinson

Free transfer from Arsenal

Clearly signed as one for the future as opposed to an immediate starter, Omari Hutchinson left Arsenal and joined Chelsea on a free transfer last year, playing two games for the Blues in the 2022/23 season. The winger believed that moving to Stamford Bridge would be a fantastic step in his development. However, the sheer plethora of talent that the club have on the wings right now means that first-team minutes are likely to be very hard to come by.

Hutchinson was loaned to Championship side Ipswich Town ahead of the 2023-24 season. While the youngster, who has already been capped by Jamaica, struggled for form towards the start of the campaign, the winger has become an integral part of the team since the turn of the new year. It’s harsh to put him so far down on the list, but Chelsea fans will be hoping he can feature regularly for the club in the near future.

29 Gabriel Slonina

£12.6 million from Chicago Fire

Gabriel Slonina, who is still only 19, was signed for a reasonable £12.6m from MLS side Chicago Fire. The American was loaned immediately back to his former club, before the goalkeeper returned to England in January 2023 to serve as part of the Under-21s side.

The American international has so far spent the 2023-24 season on loan in Belgium with Eupen, and it remains to be seen whether or not the club view him as having the potential to be number one in the next few seasons, or whether it’s more likely that he’ll be sold on – hopefully for a profit.

28 Denis Zakaria

Loan from Juventus

The Switzerland international was essentially brought in to provide a bit of cover in defensive midfield. With N’Golo Kante struggling for minutes and picking up constant injuries, Zakaria must’ve believed he was going to be a regular for Chelsea in the 2022-23 season. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out for him.

Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard opted to play the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in Kante’s absence, which meant the former Juventus star was incredibly low down in the club’s pecking order. The Blues desperately needed a defensive-minded midfielder at the time, but for some bizarre reason, Zakaria just couldn’t get into the team. In his only season in the Premier League, he featured just 11 times for the club. His best moment in a Chelsea shirt came against Dinamo Zagreb, when the Swiss international scored in a 2-1 win.

27 Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang

£10 million from Barcelona

Signed for £10m from Barcelona, Aubameyang was brought to Chelsea with the hope that he’d be able to replicate the goalscoring that he showed while playing for Arsenal. However, it’s safe to say that his time in west London will end up being largely forgettable.

The London outfit have struggled to find a striker who has scored 20 goals in the league on a regular basis since Diego Costa’s departure. There was some slight optimism that Aubameyang would prove to be a consistent scorer, but alas, the move just didn’t pay off. The Gabonese striker spent the entirety of the 2022-23 season at Chelsea, scoring three goals in 21 games before moving on to Marseille on a permanent transfer.

26 Angelo Gabriel

£13 million from Santos

Angelo Gabriel joined Chelsea for £13m from Santos in the summer of 2023 and impressed fans with his pace and skill on the wing during pre-season. While the Blues faithful liked what they saw from him, it was inevitable that he was going to spend the current campaign out on loan.

A name that Football Manager fans will know as a serious wonderkid, the Brazilian eventually joined Ligue 1 side Strasbourg on loan for the season. He has featured regularly for the club so far and has emerged as one of the best youngsters in France this campaign. It’s unlikely that the 19-year-old will be a regular for Chelsea’s first team next season; therefore, another loan move could help Angelo’s development.

25 Deivid Washington

£17.2 million from Santos

There’s a bit of a pattern forming here. Under Boehly, the club have made a habit of signing young talents from Brazilian side Santos. Washington was bought towards the end of the summer transfer window by Chelsea for a fee believed to be around £17.2m.

The young Brazilian has already featured for the first team on two occasions so far this season and has shown promising signs. However, at the age of 18, a loan move next year will probably be best for the striker, who can also play out wide. There’s a reason why the Blues decided to pay such big money for a teenager, but it’s unlikely he will become a regular starter for the next few years at least.

24 Kendry Paez

£17 million from Independiente del Valle

Kendry Paez has the potential to be a ‘real bargain’ at Stamford Bridge. The 16-year-old wrote his name into the history books when he became the youngest South American to score in a World Cup qualifier in October 2023, netting for Ecuador in a 2-1 win over Bolivia. The sky is the limit for the midfielder. Unfortunately, Chelsea fans will have to wait another year before they can see the player in action.

He will move to Stamford Bridge after his 18th birthday – meaning he will likely join the Blues in the summer of 2025. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City were a few top clubs who scouted him extensively before Chelsea managed to secure his signature. With his future looking bright, fans of the west London side will be itching to see him put on the famous shirt as soon as possible.

23 Cesare Casadei

£12.6 million from Inter Milan

Cesare Casadei was signed by Chelsea from Serie A side Inter Milan for £12 million in January 2023. Another player brought in with an eye on the future, the Italian spent the rest of the season out on loan in the Championship at Reading, adapting to English football in the process.

That was originally set to continue again following a move to Leicester City ahead of the 2023-24 season. Despite showing glimpses of his great potential, Casadei failed to become a regular starter for the Foxes and was recalled by the Premier League side in January 2024. Chelsea fans will be hoping that he is able to break into the first-team come the 2024-25 campaign.

22 Andrey Santos

£18 million from Vasco da Gama

Andrey Santos, an £18m acquisition from Vasco da Gama in January 2023, will add depth and creativity to Chelsea’s midfield for the next few years. At 19, the Brazilian was loaned out to Nottingham Forest at the start of the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately, the teenager struggled for game time and was eventually recalled by the Blues in January 2024.

Following a disastrous loan spell with the club, Santos was loaned out to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg for the remainder of the season in search of vital minutes. A player with immense potential, Chelsea fans should really be excited about his future. Prior to his Forest move, the midfielder impressed the Blues faithful during pre-season and showed why he’s capable of being a big name for the London outfit in the future.

21 Romeo Lavia

£55 million from Southampton

Romeo Lavia joined Chelsea for £55 million in the summer of 2023 from Southampton. The midfielder rejected the chance to sign for Liverpool in favour of a move to west London, mainly thanks to his relationship with Joe Shields.

Shields, Chelsea’s co-director of recruitment, worked with the Belgian at Manchester City and Southampton and was key in bringing him to Stamford Bridge. It’s fair to say that Lavia was one of the best breakout stars of the 2022-23 season and was arguably one of the best young players in the league, despite enduring a torrid campaign with the Saints – who ended up being relegated from the Premier League. There is a lot of optimism and hope about the youngster, but the start to his career with Mauricio Pochettino’s side has been affected by injuries.

20 David Datro Fofana

£10.5 million from Molde

Eyebrows were raised when David Fofana joined Chelsea for £10.5m halfway through last season. The Ivorian international was handed a few opportunities to impress the club under Potter and Lampard but was loaned to Bundesliga side Union Berlin ahead of the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately for the striker, he endured a torrid spell in Germany and was recalled by the Blues in January 2024.

He was then loaned out to struggling Premier League side Burnley for the remainder of the campaign. Fofana has already become a fan-favourite at Turf Moore, having already scored a few goals for the side. Most fans don’t seem to think that the forward will make it at Chelsea, but he has all the potential to have a successful career at Stamford Bridge – so don’t write him off just yet.

19 Joao Felix

£9.69 million loan from Atletico Madrid

There was a lot of excitement when Chelsea signed the young Portuguese star from the La Liga giants in January 2023. The club were struggling to score goals at the time. Bringing in Felix was thought to be a masterstroke given his ability in the final third. He made his debut against Fulham not long after joining the side, but it couldn’t have gone any worse as he was sent off in a 2-1 defeat.

The red card against the Cottagers kick-started a mixed loan spell for Felix. In total, the Portuguese attacker scored just four goals in 20 appearances for the west London outfit. While many fans were expecting a lot more, he actually showed a lot of promising signs during his short spell with the club.

18 Lesley Ugochukwu

£23.5 million from Rennes

Lesley Ugochukwu, a £23.5 million acquisition from Ligue 1 side Rennes, the Frenchman could end up being a midfield powerhouse for Chelsea for the next decade. His physical presence, combined with his technical skills, should make him a dominant figure in the centre of the park for the Blues, giving Pochettino something different to work with.

Ugochukwu’s performances in France not only won matches for Rennes, but also caught the attention of Chelsea, who made him a priority target this summer, completing the idea in July 2023. Like many players in the 2023-24 season, the midfielder has picked up a fair few injuries. That said, when he’s been given a chance, the Frenchman has proved why the club paid over £23 million for him.

17 Noni Madueke

£29 million from PSV

For £29 million, Noni Madueke’s move from PSV to Chelsea was seen as a gamble by many fans, although there’s no denying that the winger has a very high ceiling. In his first few months with the Premier League giants, you could see why the club forked out a fair bit of money for the young winger.

However, there’s a lot of competition for places on the wings at Chelsea, so it remains to be seen whether moving to Stamford Bridge was the right move for Madueke’s development. Unfortunately for the Englishman, he’s really yet to kick on in the 2023-24 season. The former PSV star has provided Blues fans with some convincing moments, but has ultimately struggled to nail down a regular spot in the starting eleven.

16 Kalidou Koulibaly

£33 million from Napoli

Chelsea’s defence received a significant boost with the £33m acquisition of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli last summer. Known for his physicality and aerial prowess, fans hoped that the Senegal international would become a key part of the club’s defence for the next few years – but that isn’t how things worked out.

Despite scoring a top-class volley against Tottenham right at the beginning of his time with the club, the defender struggled to keep up with the pace of the Premier League and was often caught out by opposing attackers on a regular basis. He was sold to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023 – just one year after moving to England.

15 Mykhailo Mudryk

£88.5 million from Shakhtar Donetsk

Mykhailo Mudryk’s £88 million move to Chelsea raised eyebrows, and the Ukrainian will be hoping to silence the doubters. The winger did struggle in his first 16 league games for the Blues, failing to score a single goal, but hopes still remain high for the immensely talented, albeit raw, winger.

Under Pochettino, Mudryk has shown some promising signs, but while the club are calling for fans to be patient with him, performances so far have been well below par. It was always going to be difficult for the Ukraine international to settle in right away, but fans were expecting more from him following his arrival in January 2023.