Chelsea have a reputation for spending over the odds on players. In fact, the Blues often top the list of the biggest transfers on the planet. From 2022 to 2023, Chelsea splurged an eye-watering £857.3 million on transfers. Manchester United were the other big spenders, but even the Red Devils only forked out £374.4 million. Most of the time, Chelsea’s splurging during transfer season pays off. Other times, it doesn’t. Below, we explore some of the biggest financial steps ever to have taken place at Stamford Bridge.
Tiemoue Bakayoko (£40 million, 2017)
Bakayoko seemed like a safe bet when Chelsea secured him from AS Monaco back in 2017. Brought in to replace the outgoing Nemanja Matic, Bakayoko had demonstrated his ability with a successful run with Monaco, when the squad defeated Paris Saint-Germain in France’s Ligue 1. At the time, few fans raised eyebrows at Bakayoko’s reported £40 million price tag. Sadly, his time with Chelsea was anything but successful. He drew the ire of fans during an early appearance against Watford, with Bakayoko earning a red card. He was returned to Monaco on loan, before being finally released from his Chelsea contract in 2023.
Danny Drinkwater (£35 million, 2017)
A lot of fans were left scratching their heads when it was reported that Chelsea had secured Danny Drinkwater’s transfer signing for a reported £35 million. Admittedly, Drinkwater was part of the Leicester City squad at the time, with the Foxes riding high in 2017. On the pitch, Drinkwater failed to make much of an impression. Behind the scenes, management clearly knew they’d made a mistake. After his first full season with the Blues, he was loaned out to the likes of Burnley, Reading and Aston Villa. In 2022, he was finally released from his contract.
Fernando Torres (£50 million, 2011)
When it was announced that Chelsea had managed to nab Torres from Liverpool for a reported £50 million, many people would have called it a good deal. Torres was a hot commodity at the time, with many insiders expecting him to go for far more than that. It has to be said that Torres didn’t exactly do badly during his time with Chelsea. He scored a total of 45 goals during his spell with the Blues across a total of 175 appearances. Unfortunately, he never managed to make the same impact at Stamford Bridge as he had at Anfield. After being loaned out to AC Milan in 2014, he was released altogether in 2015.
Alvaro Morata (£58 million, 2017)
Alvaro Morata wasn’t the best player on the Real Madrid squad in 2017, but he was certainly one of the most promising. After Chelsea shelled out more than £58 million to secure him, his first appearances with the squad seemed promising. Sadly, things began to unfurl during his second full season at Stamford Bridge. The Spanish striker only put away five goals during the 2018-19 Premier League season. He was later loaned out to Atlético Madrid in 2019, eventually departing to become a full-time member of the squad when Chelsea released him in 2020.
Romelu Lukaku (£99.5 million, 2021)
When it was announced that Romelu Lukaku would be returning to Stamford Bridge in 2021, many Chelsea fans were happy. He’d already enjoyed a successful run with the Blues a few years earlier, while his time in the Italian Serie A was also seen as a career highlight. With more than £100 million changing hands for Lukaku, great things were expected from him. Unfortunately, the Belgian failed to deliver during his sophomore run with Chelsea, netting a meagre eight goals. In 2022, he made his return to Serie A after being loaned out to Inter Milan, before being loaned out to Roma in 2023.
Can You Bet On Transfer Windows?
If you’re tired of placing the usual wagers on football, you can make life more interesting by betting on transfer windows. Most major online sportsbooks allow users to place wagers during both annual transfer windows. However, if you’re looking for the best odds, it’s the January transfer window that offers the best action.
If moneyline and over/under betting isn’t your thing, why not head to an online casino instead? With Spin Casino’s virtual casino games, you’ll find plenty of instant wins and video slots to enjoy. If you’re a self-declared lover of the beautiful game, why not spin the reels on a football-themed slot?
