From Drogba to Disasters: Chelsea’s Ligue 1 Signings Rated
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From Drogba to Disasters: Chelsea’s Ligue 1 Signings Rated

Chelsea's Last 15 Signings From Ligue 1 Rated

Ligue 1 has produced some of the biggest names in the world over the years, and is highly regarded as one of the best markets to scout young talent. However, dealings with French clubs have also produced several unsuccessful transfers over the years. Chelsea are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to buying from France, so Football Park have looked at their last 15 signings from the league, rating how they fared in West London.

1. Mamadou Sarr (Signed from Strasbourg, 2025/26)

Sarr is the most recent signing Chelsea have made from Ligue 1, with the transfer happening a matter of days ago! Coming from Strasbourg, the French club under the same ownership as The Blues are, Sarr is a defender with serious potential. Having already been on the books of Lens and Lyon, the 19-year-old has strong experience in France, making 27 starts for Strasbourg, who finished 7th in Ligue 1. What the future holds for Sarr at Chelsea is unknown, but there’s a strong chance that the French U20 international goes far in the Premier League. ?/10

2. Mathis Amougou (Signed from St. Etienne, 2024/25)

Another 19-year-old brought in this year, Amougou penned a deal in February and has made two appearances for Chelsea in the latter months of the campaign just gone. The central midfielder broke into the newly promoted St. Etienne’s first team in the first half of the 2024/25 season, with the Blues quick to buy the player for a reported €15 million. Another player whose career in West London cannot be determined yet, as only time will tell. ?/10

3. Axel Disasi (Signed from Monaco, 2023/24)

Two years ago, Disasi was coming off the back of a season on the French Riviera that had seen him earn his first call up to the French national team, and play almost every minute of Monaco’s Ligue 1 and Europa League season. That was enough to convince Chelsea to sign the then 25-year-old, however it has not worked out for the centre half at all, especially under Enzo Maresca. The Frenchman now finds himself on the outskirts of the Chelsea squad, left out of their Club World Cup squad, unfavoured by his manager, and up for sale.

He did, however, enjoy a spell at Aston Villa in the second half of the season just gone. Birmingham is a possible destination for the defender, as he looks to revive his career in England. 4/10

4. Lesley Ugochukwu (Signed from Rennes, 2023/24)

The other player who switched Ligue 1 for Premier League football in the summer of 2023, and also spent this season out on loan. Ugochukwu was enjoying spells off the bench for Chelsea before a hamstring injury kept him out for five months of the 2023/24 season. A season spent as a first team regular on the South Coast has allowed the 21-year-old get back up to the speed of the top flight. The competition is hot in Chelsea’s midfield but many Blues fans will vouch that they still want Ugochukwu at the club; a bright future awaits the defensive midfielder. 6/10

5. Benoit Badiashile (Signed from Monaco, 2022/23)

Chelsea robbed both of Monaco’s starting centre-halves in a period of six months. Badiashile paved the way for Disasi, leaving the club in January 2023 to head for Stamford Bridge. The defender was limited to 333 Premier League minutes this season and has fallen heavily out of favour due to a number of costly mistakes, and failing to look up to scratch. Badiashile is still just 24 and has a solid career ahead of him, just not in a Chelsea shirt. 4/10

6. Malo Gusto (Signed from Lyon, 2022/23)

The first player on this list to have made over 50 appearances for Chelsea, and perhaps the first that you could confidently say was worth the money. Gusto didn’t actually play for Chelsea until the 2023/24 season, and whilst he hasn’t lit up the league, has been a good option to cover for the seemingly always injured Reece James. The right back turned 22 a few weeks ago and could end up having a fruitful career at Chelsea; we haven’t seen the best of him yet. 7/10

7. Edouard Mendy (Signed from Rennes, 2020/21)

One of three players on this list that lifted a Champions League at Chelsea, and the first that isn’t currently at the club. Mendy’s career at Chelsea might have ended sourly, facing a shoulder injury before losing his starting spot to Kepa, but his debut season at the club cannot be ignored. Mendy was named as ‘The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper’ in 2021 and Champions League 2020/21 Goalkeeper of the Season. The Senegalese international also kept 30 Premier League clean sheets in 56 games between 2020 and 2022. For that reason, for €22 million Mendy was nothing but a success story. 8/10

8. Malang Sarr (Signed from Nice, 2020/21)

The second Sarr on this list, Malang spent four years contracted as a Chelsea player, but his only football for the club came in 2021/22. Twenty one appearances overall, loan spells to Monaco, Porto, and a minimal impact, Sarr was unable to make an impression to any of the multiple managers that coached Chelsea in that time. Some things just don’t work out, and this deal was ultimately a huge flop. 2/10

9. Thiago Silva (Signed from PSG, 2020/21)

Eyebrows were raised when a soon to be 36-year-old Thiago Silva left his eight year spell in Paris for a first time shot at the Premier League. The Brazilian only signed a one year deal, but ended up staying for four and becoming the club’s Player of the Year for the 2022/23 campaign. Silva proved that his age was simply a number at Stamford Bridge, making over 150 appearances and leaving only fond memories in the Chelsea fans’ hearts. 9/10

10. Tiemoue Bakayoko (Signed from Monaco, 2017/18)

Bakayoko was the perfect example of a “he’s still at that club?” player when he finally left Chelsea in 2023. The defensive midfielder has had a relatively respectable career between the years of 2018 and 2023, just not at Chelsea. The second most expensive signing the club had ever made at the time, Bakayoko made 43 appearances under Antonio Conte in his debut season. He ultimately failed to impress and spent the next five seasons on loan in Italy and France. A poor way to spend £40 million, although half of that fee was almost made back in loan fees. 3/10

11. Michy Batshuayi (Signed from Marseille, 2016/17)

Another player who overstayed his welcome at Stamford Bridge. Batshuayi scored 19 goals in his first two seasons at Chelsea, but unfortunately Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata, and Olivier Giroud were often preferred over the Belgian.

A series of loan spells in England, Spain and Germany awaited, although he made a shock return to the first team picture in the 2019/20 season, scoring an additional six goals. Batshuayi finally left the club in 2022, and while his time at Chelsea wasn’t completely worthless, his 25 goals for the club meant that each strike was worth around €1.6 million. Although, in fairness, one of those goals did ultimately win Chelsea the Premier League in 2017. So that counts for something. 6/10

12. David Luiz (Signed from PSG, 2016/17)

This transfer was Luiz’s second spell at Chelsea, so the blues knew what they were getting, notably for cheaper than the amount they sold him for two years prior. The centre-half who had lifted the Champions League with the club in 2012 picked up where he left off in West London. Commanding the back line to a Premier League title in 2016/17, and then an additional FA Cup and Europa League title in his final game. This transfer can overall be regarded as a success; Luiz was included in the PFA Team of the Year in his first season back, and continued to be the iconic figure he was. 8/10

13. Papy Djilobodji (Signed from Nantes, 2015/16)

A name many reading might not have heard of, Djilobodji played a matter of minutes for Chelsea in a league cup match against Walsall. The defender was already 26 when he joined the Blues but had caught the attention of many Premier League clubs whilst playing in Ligue 1. The only positive part of this transfer was that Chelsea somehow sold the centreback to Sunderland for more than double what they paid for him. 1/10

14. Kurt Zouma (Signed from St. Etienne, 2013/14)

Signed as a young teenager and sold as a Champions League winner, Zouma’s playing time gradually increased during his early years at Chelsea before a nasty ACL injury in 2016 left him sidelined for almost a year. Loans to Stoke City and Everton were required, and upon his return to Stamford Bridge, Zouma pulled off the career comeback at Chelsea that many had doubted he was capable of. The defender was a rejuvenated man under Frank Lampard and made 79 appearances for the club between 2019 and 2021. A player that many Chelsea fans will hold at high regard. 6.5/10

15. Eden Hazard (Signed from Lille, 2012/13)

Saving the best until last, Chelsea fans probably thought that it couldn’t get much better post Champions League glory in the summer of 2012, and then they went and signed Hazard. Seven glorious seasons in West London later, the Belgian is third in the club’s Premier League goalscoring chart. Not to mention his four Chelsea Player of the Year awards, Hazard racked up over 20 goal contributions in five of his seven Premier League seasons. Leaving everyone associated with the club an abundance of magical memories. 10/10

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

James McLeish

Writer

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