Grading Every Single Todd Boehly Signing from Star to Shite

Grading Every Single Todd Boehly Signing from Star to Shite

Todd Boehly’s four-year spell as chairman of Chelsea was eventful, to say the least. Eight managers have come and gone, £1.78 billion has been spent on players, while £1.18 billion has come the other way from player sales, and #boehlyout has trended on X at least 5 times over that period.

The American businessman, who is also the co-owner of the LA Dodgers, was a divisive figure at Stamford Bridge throughout his time there, but though some of his decision-making sparked widespread hatred from fans, it seems that this season, his vision is slowly starting to become realised.

What Boehly was most often criticised for was appointing sporting directors to be in charge of transfer business rather than the head coach, meaning that many of the players brought in were a poor fit for the men in the dugout at the time.

There were numerous failures, but the directors did make a couple of superb signings, along with a further handful who did the job without being spectacular. The manager may be back in charge of signings with the appointment of Xabi Alonso, but almost every transfer prior to this summer only arrived with Boehly’s blessing.

Now, having officially sold his shares in the club, it's time to rate his wheelings as dealings. Who flew, who flopped, and who failed to make waves?

*2026/27 signings will not be included - it is far too early to judge.

2022/23 Signings

Raheem Sterling (Man City): 4/10. Fee: £47.5m. Apps: 81 - Goals: 19 - Assists: 12

Boehly’s first signing, Sterling’s time at Stamford Bridge was lukewarm. A few decent games, a whole lot more average ones, and a few bad VERY bad misses earned him a loan to Arsenal before being released from his mega contract in January last year. For the cost and huge wages, an exceptionally poor transfer.

Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli): 4/10. Fee: £33m. Apps: 32 - Goals: 2

Brought in as the heir to an ageing Thiago Silva, Koulibaly instead showed why Serie A isn’t always representative of Premier League ability. Clumsy and error-prone, the Senagalese defender lasted just one season before being shipped off to the Saudi League. He’ll always have that goal vs Spurs though.

Mykhaylo Mudryk (Shakhtar Donetsk): 2/10. Fee: £88.5m. Apps: 73 - Goals: 10 - Assists: 8

Underperforming for much of his early Chelsea career, Mudryk endlessly frustrated the Stamford Bridge faithful. Then, just as he was hitting something resembling form, he was suspended from football indefinitely at the end of 2024, with the ban only being lifted this summer. Now on loan at Spurs in order to get sharpness back.

Wesley Fofana (Leicester): 5/10. Fee: £75m. Apps: 76 - Goals: 2

Another mega signing, Fofana’s exceptionally injury-prone nature saw his first two seasons at the club pass with just 34 appearances, with the club looking set to give up on the player at various points. Managing 38 games last year, his endurance has improved, but for a £75 million signing, he has been a bit too close to average for our liking.

💙✅|| WESLEY FOFANA:

Fofana's best attributes are Pace, Physicality, and aggressive front-footed defending.

He covers big spaces, recovers quickly, and can step out to intercept or tackle because of his speed and timing. That lets a team hold a higher line.

He is strong in… pic.twitter.com/VR5RTBpseY

— The Chelsea Boy™🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (@TheChelseaBoyy) September 16, 2026

Marc Cucurella (Brighton): 8/10. Fee: £62m. Apps: 163 - Goals: 9 - Assists: 11

One of the few success stories, ‘Cucu’ overcame a bumpy start to become one of the Blues' most reliable players, proving a key cog under multiple managers and becoming a major influence at the back as Chelsea lifted the Conference League and Club World Cup last year. Sold to Real Madrid for £51 million this summer.

Enzo Fernandez (Benfica): 7/10. Fee: £106.8m. Apps: 170 - Goals: 31 - Assists: 29

Chelsea’s second most expensive signing ever, the Argentine was often great, but not excellent, something that would be expected for his price tag. Forming a midfield partnership with Moises Caicedo, his attacking nous was obvious, but defensively he struggled. Sold to Man City for £120 million on deadline day.

Benoit Badiashile (Monaco): 4/10. Fee: £35m. Apps: 71 - Goals: 2

After a superb first-half season after his January move, ‘Big Ben’s’ level dropped inexplicably, and soon he was the man to blame for a host of sloppy goals. Very much a bit-part player for the last two seasons, he was loaned to Napoli this summer as the Blues looked to maintain his value. A big part in Chelsea’s successful Conference League campaign.

Noni Madueke (PSV Eindhoven): 6/10. Fee: £29m. Apps: 92 - Goals: 20 - Assists: 7

Very hard to stop on his day, Madueke proved injury prone in his early days at the club but managed a respectable output in his final two seasons at Stamford Bridge. Never a guaranteed starter, Chelsea did well to bag £60 million when they sold him to Arsenal in 2025. A hat trick against Wolves was a personal highlight.

Carney Chukwuemeka (Aston Vill): 4/10. Fee: £20m. Apps: 32 - Goals: 2 - Assists: 1

Highly rated but rarely given the opportunity, fans were frequently frustrated with Carney’s lack of minutes. Loaned to Borussia Dortmund in 2024/25, that move became permanent last season with the Englishman leaving very little legacy in West London.

Malo Gusto (Lyon): 6/10. Fee: £26.3m. Apps: 140 - Goals: 3 - Assists: 18

Had a blistering first season while Reece James suffered multiple long-term injuries, but has failed to build on that since. Versatile and willing to play in multiple positions, Gusto has covered adeptly for various injuries, but has never wowed. This season in particular has seen him come under fire for sloppy work on the ball.

Cesare Casadei (Inter Milan): 3/10. Fee: £12.6. Apps: 17 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 0

One of the many youngsters who failed to deliver on obvious talent, Casadei was at most an impact sub during his time at the Bridge, failing to register a goal involvement, and only making 11 Premier League appearances. Did lift the Conference League, but it was right to move him on for £11 million last summer.

Andrey Santos (Vasco da Gama): 5/10. Fee: £18m. Apps: 47 - Goals: 3 - Assists: 5

After two smoking-hot loans with sister club Strasbourg, Santos was supposed to be the next big thing in Chelsea's midfield. However, under Maresca and then Rosenior, the Brazilian never found his form, and his £50 million sale to Man United this summer was the best solution for all parties.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Barcelona): 2/10. Fee: £10m. Apps: 21 - Goals: 3 - Assists: 2

Past his prime by the time he arrived at the Bridge, Auba was never going to set the world on fire. However, his diabolical return and distinct lack of enthusiasm to be there meant that the former Arsenal man quickly lost his spot after just half a season and was released on a free transfer the following summer.

David Datro Fofana (Molde): 1/10. Fee: £10.5m. Apps: 4 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 0

Another brought in as a possible wonderkid, Fofana made four appearances and was sent out on five loans and still lost value, with the Blues cashing in on what little remained of his value this summer in a sale to Conference League buddies Servette.

Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire): 1/10. Fee: £12m. Apps: 0

Labelled as the next thing to come out of the MLS, Slonina has proven himself to be anything but. Securing loans to Chicago, Eupen and Barnsley, the American has been stuck in the Chelsea reserves since the start of last season, and there is no doubt that soon the Blues wil run out of patience.

Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid): 5/10. Fee: Loan. Apps: 20 - Goals: 4 - Assists: 0

An exciting loan addition, Felix became a fan favourite because of his insistency on trying things. Unfortunately, whatever he tried usually failed to come off. Still, he was a rare bright spot in what was a dire 2022/23 season, in which Chelsea finished 12th.

Denis Zakaria (Monaco): 2/10. Fee: Loan. Apps: 11 - Goals: 1 - Assist: 0

Brought in as midfield cover for Fernandez, both Tuchel and Potter largely refused to lose him. While he did grab a goal for the club, it was hardly memorable, and his lack of presence in a side that was already struggling tells you all you need to know.

2023/24 Signings

Moises Caicedo (Brighton): 9/10. Fee: £115m. Apps: 149 - Goals: 8 - Assists: 8

Though he had a rocky start, Caicedo quickly found his feet at the Bridge and became the Blues' star midfielder ahead of creator-in-chief Enzo Fernandez. Tough-tackling, no-nonsense, and boasting a propensity to score some absolute screamers, the Ecuadorian is a fan favourite and arguably the side's most consistent player.

Romeo Lavia (Southampton): 5/10. Fee: £55m. Apps: 49 - Goals: 1 - Assists: 1

Touted for greatness while at Southampton, Lavia encountered unbelievable injury issues upon arrival at the London Lions. Having never played a full 90 for the club before this year's pre-season, he is tough to judge. There is obvious talent when he plays, but his fitness and injury record are of serious concern.

Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig): 3/10. Fee: £52m. Apps: 62 - Goals: 18 - Assists: 5

18 goals may sound like a fair return, but only 8 of these came in the Premier League. Another who proved injury prone, Nkunku showed flashes of the brilliance he’d produced back in Germany, but never cemented himself a starting spot. Sold to AC Milan last summer.

Cole Palmer (Man City): 10/10. Fee: £40m. Apps: 139 - Goals: 58 - Assists: 34

A rare case of a wonderkid who turned into a star, Palmer wowed in his first season at the club, notching 40 goals involvements. Various injury lay-offs impact his form over the last 18 months, but he looks back to his best this year and looks to still have another level in the locker. Almost certainly Chelsea’s best signing under Boehly.

Ice cold Cole Palmer 🥶 pic.twitter.com/t3Ujskhi4y

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 17, 2026

Axel Disasi (Monaco): 3/10. Fee: £38m. Apps: 61 - Goals: 5 - Assists: 2

From phenomenal to flop, Disasi played OK in his first season, but under Maresca his minutes were severely limited, and he quickly became part of Chelsea's infamous bomb squad, players the clubw as desperate to sell. His spectacular own goal against Leeds about sums his time up at the club. Now on loan at Crystal Palace.

Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal): 6/10. Fee: £32m. Apps: 81 - Goals: 30 - Assists: 12

Capable of brilliance and ignorance in equal measure, Jackson was an entertaining addition to the squad. Brilliant with the ball at his feet but often profligate with his finishing, the striker's discipline record saw him loaned out to Bayern Munich last season, before Chelsea made a healthy profit with a £48 million sale to Villa this year.

Lesley Ugochukwu (Rennes): 2/10. Fee: £23.5m. Apps: 15 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 0

Brought on promise rather than performance, Ugochukwu rarely made a case for a spot on the bench, let alone the first team. Loaned to Southampton a year after arriving, Chelsea cashed in on him while his value was still high last summer as he joined Burnley. Now playing at Galatasaray.

Robert Sanchez (Brighton): 5/10. Fee: £25m. Apps: 113

Buying a rival's third-choice goalkeeper probably isn’t a viable transfer strategy, but somehow Sanchez managed three whole seasons at the Blues as number one. Though an excellent shot-stopper, his distribution and focus were never far from the headlines, and it took just one game this season for Xabi Alonso to see the light and send him on loan to Como.

Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution): 6/10. Fee: £14m. Apps: 31

A player many believe should have been given more time, Petrovic impressed the Blues faithful after coming in to replace Sanchez under Pochettino. However, despite some excellent showings, Maresca didn’t see the same promise and reintegrated Sanchez to the first team. The Serbian was sent on loan to Strasbourg and now has taken his brilliance to the South Coast, illustrating just what the Blues let go in Bournemouth’s maiden European win over Real Sociedad last night.

Angelo (Santos): 1/10. Fee: £13m. Apps: 0

A waste of time and money, Angelo was brought in as the next potential European wonderkid and was loaned to sister club Strasbourg for development purposes. However, after 25 games and 0 goals in France, Chelsea cut their losses and somehow bagged an extra £6 million as the young attacker joined Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.

Diogo Moreira (Benfica): 1/10. Fee: Free. Apps: 1 - Goals: 0 - Assist: 0

One of the biggest oversights made by Boehly, Moreira was sold for just £6 million to Strasbourg before Chelsea even knew what they had. They would find out eventually though as, after becoming arguably Strasbourg’s best player, Moreira secured a £50 million move to AC Milan this past summer.

2024/25 Signings

Pedro Neto (Wolves): 7/10. Fee: £60m. Apps: 109 - Goals: 21 - Assists: 18.

A breath of fresh air on either wing, Neto’s rapid pace and excellent crossing have seen him become a reliable fixture in the first team. Though frustrating in his decision-making and finishing at times, his pace and ability to bypass defenders with ease make him a useful tool in Alonso’s wing-back formation.

🚨🔵 Breaking: Pedro Neto signs new deal at Chelsea valid until June 2032 plus option for further season.

The Portuguese winger was a target for several clubs this summer as #CFC now reward him with new deal. pic.twitter.com/OegPv9vFDn

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 11, 2026

Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid): 3/10. Fee: £45m. Apps: 20 - Goals: 7 - Assists: 2

So nice he had to do it twice, Boehly’s decision to permanently resign Joao Felix a year after his loan proved costly. £45 million for a player who became a cup option and made just 12 league appearances is a lot, and though he helped the Blues lfit the Conference, it was hardly enough repayment. Sold to Al-Nassr after one season.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester): 4/10. Fee: £30m. Apps: 36 - Goals: 5 - Assists: 3

It’s hard to figure out where it went wrong for Dewsbury-Hall at Chelsea, as he is now a star player at Everton. Naturally lower in the pecking order behind Enzo and Caicedo, the Englishman never really got frequent chances to shine, and a move to Everton was probably the right thing for his career.

Filip Jorgensen (Villarreal): 3/10. Fee: 21m. Apps: 36

Brought in to compete with Robert Sanchez, it became clear that the Danish shot-stopper was similar to Sanchez – a good shot-stopper, but poor when it comes to decision-making, consistency and distribution. Now on loan at Strasbourg.

Mike Penders (Genk): 7/10. Fee: £17.1m. Apps: 2

Labelled the next Courtois, Penders’ loan spells at Genk and Strasbourg clearly illustrate a rare talent, one with superb distribution and even better shot-stopping. Playing back-up to Emi Martinez this season, the Belgian is finally getting the chance to impress, and is likely to take the number one shirt once Martinez is moved on.

Aaron Anselmino: 3/10. Fee: £14.1m. Apps: 1 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 0

Another brought in as a highly touted prospect, Anselmino went on impressive loans to both Borussia Dortmund and Strasbourg. However, despite showing he can perform in top leagues, he has just one Chelsea appearance to his name and has failed to take to the pitch this season despite staying with the first team.

Mathis Amougou (Saint-Ettienne): 1/10. Fee: £12.9m. Apps: 0

A bizarre move. Brought for £13 million, sold for just less than that six months later. There is likely a buy-back clause involved in his transfer to Strasbourg, but it was a truly baffling piece of business.

Renato Veiga (Basel): 3/10. Fee: £12m. Apps: 18 - Goals: 2 - Assists: 1

Arriving as a flexible option across midfield and defence, Veiga’s on-field displays were fine. It was the fact that he had disagreements with head coach Maresca that tanked his career, and by the end of his first season, he was sold to Villarreal. Has a Conference League medal to his name.

Caleb Wiley (Atlanta): 2/10. Fee: £8.7m. Apps: 0

Another player from the MLS, Wiley has failed to deliver on any of his four loan moves, making no more than 10 appearances in any of them.

Marc Guiu (Barcelona): 5/10. Fee: £5m. Apps: 29 - Goals: 8 - Assists: 2

Though a useful backup option throughout his time at Chelsea, Guiu was never considered anything more and rarely got in ahead of Nicolas Jackson, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. Sold to RB Leipzig this summer for around £13m as a Conference League and Club World Cup winner.

Jadon Sancho (Man United): 6/10. Fee: loan. Apps: 41 - GoalsL 5 - Assists: 9

A useful left-wing option in his one season at the club, Sancho started the majority of games, scored in the Conference League final, and hinted at getting back to the form shown at Dortmund. However, a quiet second half of the season saw Chelsea decline to pay the buy clause in his contract. Now a free agent.

Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham): 5/10. Fee: Free. Apps: 72 - Goals: 7 - Assists: 1

Brought in as an experienced head for Chelsea’s young squad despite being just 27, Tosin was a regular starter for two seasons but failed to establish himself as a reliable defender. His lack of pace and, at times, questionable positioning saw him left out of big games, and he was shipped off to Spurs for £10 million this summer.

2025/26 Signings

Joao Pedro (Brighton): 10/10. Fee: £55m. Apps: 60 - Goals: 29 - Assists: 10

Alongside Palmer and Caicedo, the best signing under Boehly, the Brazilian has been phenomenal since arriving, especially since January. Capable of hold-up play, superb dribbling and ruthless finishing, Pedro ticks all the boxes and finally looks set to end Chelsea’s number 9 curse this season with his new short number.

Jamie Gittens (Dortmund): 4/10. Fee: £48m. Apps: 29 - Goals: 1 - Assists: 5

Filling the void left by Sancho, Gittens started his time at Chelsea inconsistently and quickly suffered a long-term injury, meaning many of his appearances were limited to cameos from the bench. An excellent dribbler and clearly talented, the Englishman needs to stay fit if he is to grab his opportunity. Go and watch his first goal for the club against Wolves, by the way.

Alejandro Garnacho (Man United): 3/10. Fee: £40m. Apps: 43 - Goals: 8 - Assists: 4

A signing that was clear would never work at Stamford Bridge, Garnacho did bag a handful of goals, but 90% of his time was spent frustrating Chelsea fans with wasteful passes, dribbles, and dreaded shots when he cut inside. Not to mention the team sheet leaks …

Willian Estevao (Palmeiras): 8/10. Fee: £39m. Apps: 43 - Goals: 9 - Assists: 3

One of the brightest prospects in world football, Estevao’s skill is almost unmatched. Unfortunately, with Palmer and Rogers ahead of him in the pecking order, his minutes have been limited so far. All he can do is flash his joga bonito ability whenever he is given the chance, leaving Alonso with no choice but to find space for him in the team.

Jorrel Hato (Ajax): 6/10. Fee: £38m. Apps: 41 - Goals: 2 - Assists: 3

A prodigy during his time at Ajax, Hato was initially barely used by Maresca. However, his prominence grew as the season wore on, and by the end of the campaign, it was a surprise to not see him there. A regular starter under Alonso, it looks as if Hato’s Chelsea stint is about to truly get started.

Liam Delap (Ipswich): 1/10. Fee: £30m. Apps: 49 - Goals: 3 - Assists: 4

For a centre forward, particularly one tipped to take the starting spot in the England side from Harry Kane when he calls it time, those numbers are shambolic, and Delap quickly became a scapegoat for Chelsea’s failures last season. That being said, he was still somehow sold for a profit to Nottingham Forest this summer where he has started strongly, already scoring as many Premier League goals for the Reds than he managed in a whole season in blue.

Danny Welbeck had already caught up with Liam Delap goals of last season. pic.twitter.com/754lvhb93l

— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) September 11, 2026

Dario Essugo (Sporting Lisbon): 3/10. Fee: £19m. Apps: 8 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 2

Brought in as midfield squad depth, Essugo could not displace the likes of Andrey Santos and Romeo Lavia ahead of him, limited to the occasional cup appearance last season. He looks fine, but nothing special, and has been loaned to Strasbourg for the season to assist development.

Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg): 2/10. Fee: £12m. Apps: 7 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 0

Brought in from Strasbourg on a discount in January in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, it quickly became clear that Sarr was not quite ready for Premier League football. He showed promise but needed more time to develop – he was subsequently loaned to Real Sociedad for the 2026/27 season.

Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton): 1/10. Fee: Loan. Apps: 8 - Goals: 1 - Assists: 2

Another bizarre move, Buonanotte was never going to play frequently given Palmer’s prominence and was only brought in as a last resort in case the club were left with no options. Didn’t play for the club after January, and has subsequently been loaned to Spanish minnows Elche.