Chelsea pip Man Utd and Liverpool to calamitous transfer title

Chelsea's next six Premier League fixtures

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Chelsea chiefs will look to ditch their history of questionable transfers once the January window swings open in just a few weeks’ time. Big-money moves are always vulnerable to criticism but one vote has determined that the Blues are liable for two of the five worst-value deals in Premier League history. 

New co-owner Todd Boehly spent heavily over the summer in an attempt to galvanise the squad at Stamford Bridge. Huge fees were splashed on the likes of Wesley Fofana, Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, although it is still too early to determine whether or not they will fall into ‘flop’ territory. 

When it comes to moves that turned out poorly, fans seemingly believe that Chelsea have two of the most high-profile since the Premier League’s inception more than 20 years ago. Former owner Roman Abramovich revolutionised the club with his wealth, and with it came significant investment in the transfer market. 

Fernando Torres’ switch from Liverpool to west London sent shockwaves through the English top flight more than a decade ago. As if moving from one giant club to another wasn’t enough, the mammoth £50million fee was a British transfer record when it went through in 2011. 

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While the Spaniard had scored consistently at a rate of more than a goal every other game during his time on Merseyside, his touch in front of goal practically deserted him after pulling on the blue of Chelsea. In fact, Torres never hit double figures in the Premier League again, with his best season-long tally for the Blues coming in at a measly eight in 2012/13. 

As such, it’s perhaps unsurprising that a poll run by SportsBroker saw 9.1 per cent of respondents vote Torres’ move to Chelsea as the worst in Premier League history. That leaves it fourth on the list, although Blues fans will wince at the fact that, unlike Manchester United, Liverpool or any of their rivals, they are the only team to have two deals feature in the top five.

By comparison, Danny Drinkwater’s move to Stamford Bridge in 2017 was not the earth-shattering transfer that Torres’ was. The former Leicester City star had played a key role in an unlikely Premier League title win just 12 months prior, which is why many expected him to kick on in west London after putting pen to paper on an eye-watering £35m deal. 

Although the fee doesn’t carry the same wow factor as Torres, Drinkwater’s time at the Bridge made his Spanish counterpart’s stint look like a roaring success. Reportedly pocketing a remarkable £120,000 a week, Drinkwater notched just 23 appearances in five seasons on the books at Chelsea, including none at all in his final three. 

Still, only 8.8 per cent of respondents voted it to be the worst-value transfer in Premier League history, putting it in fifth place. Drinkwater went on a series of loan spells during his time with the Blues but only found his feet after dropping down to the Championship with Reading. 

Although Chelsea feature more regularly than any other team in the top five, others haven’t got away scot-free. Manchester United’s record-breaking move for Paul Pogba tops the pile with Andy Carroll to Liverpool in second place, and Jack Grealish’s £100m switch from Aston Villa to Manchester City received 12.8 per cent of the vote. 

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