The Blues have made some fantastic purchases down the years, and here GOAL ranks the very best of them…
Chelsea became kings of the transfer market under Roman Abramovich's ownership, as they revolutionised the sport with their big spending.
However, even before the real riches arrived at Stamford Bridge, the Blues were able to make some spectacular signings on a more modest budget.
As such, GOAL picks the best 10 transfers in the club's history…
Getty ImagesEden Hazard
"I'm signing for the Champions League winner."
This dramatic tweet on 28 May 2012 kickstarted a new era of entertainment at Stamford Bridge with Eden Hazard at the helm.
After their historic Champions League final win over Bayern Munich, Chelsea secured the £32 million signing of the Belgian superstar from French champions Lille.
His performances in France attracted interest from both sides of the Manchester divide, so Chelsea's signing of Hazard was a real coup, despite not being cheap in monetary terms.
From there, Hazard lived up to his potential and went on to be the club's talisman for the next seven years.
With 110 goals 352 matches, Chelsea got the best of Hazard before selling him to Real Madrid for £88 million ($112m) plus substantial add-ons in 2019.
AdvertisementGettyGianfranco Zola
In 2003, ahead of Roman Abramovich's takeover of Chelsea, Gianfranco Zola was voted the club's greatest ever player.
Signed from Parma for £4.5m, the Italian attacker was part of an exciting Chelsea side who were able to qualify for Europe and secure a host of major cup wins.
Zola was loved by all in English football, bringing entertainment to the pitch and a positive open personality off it.
He became Chelsea's first player to win the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award in 1996–97.
His time at Stamford Bridge finished having won five major honours with Chelsea, including the Cup Winners' Cup.
It was players such as Zola that attracted Abramovich to Chelsea in the first place and, reluctantly, the legendary Blues star rejected a contract offer from the Russian oligarch in 2003 so he could play for his boyhood club Cagliari before retiring.
GettyDidier Drogba
Didier Drogba is known as 'The King' in and around Stamford Bridge.
The Ivorian arguably scored Chelsea's most important goal ever, rising highest in the 88th minute of the 2012 Champions League final to power an equalising header past Manuel Neuer.
The Blues would go on to win lift the European Cup for the first time in their history, and shortly after that, the £24m signing from Marseille was voted the club's greatest ever player in a newly commissioned poll.
Drogba was truly a big-game player and scored many of the key goals that helped him secure 12 trophies across two spells in west London.
Getty ImagesCharlie Cooke
Chelsea signed Charlie Cooke from Dundee United for a club-record £72,000 in 1966.
He played in a legendary side managed by Tommy Doherty that featured the likes of Peter Bonetti, Peter Osgood and Alan Hudson.
They would go on to win the famous 1970 FA Cup final against Leeds United, which is regarded as one of the dirtiest matches in English football history.
In the replay at Old Trafford, Cooke would set up Osgood's extra-time winning goal, and Chelsea would also win the Cup Winners' Cup against Real Madrid the following year with Cooke in their side.
He made 410 appearances for the club and he then returned as manager just two years after he left. He is credited with helping to save the club from financial ruin as he got the side promoted from the Second Division back to the top flight.