Mateja Kežman

The Serbian became the first of a series of forwards to flop in West London, as Stamford Bridge became known as a strikers’ graveyard.

Kežman inherited Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink’s number nine shirt after the Dutchman joined Middlesbrough in the summer of 2004.

The Serbian failed to replicate his PSV Eindhoven form for Chelsea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llZu4-ehlsk

He arrived in a £5.3 million deal with a burgeoning reputation, having set the Eredivisie alight with 105 goals in 122 games for PSV Eindhoven.

However, Kežman’s first goal for the Blues did not come until the end of October, and he failed to net in the league until the 4th of December.

He bagged just five more times throughout the remainder of the season and was promptly sold to Atlético Madrid in June 2005.

Despite his time in Britain being short, and not so sweet, he said in 2011: “Chelsea was the best thing in my career. That was the climax of my career, for sure.”

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Wright-Phillips joined the newly crowned Premier League champions in 2005 after emerging at Manchester City under Kevin Keegan.

The nippy winger had shown great promise at the City of Manchester Stadium but the move south prompted an alarming plateau in development for one of the country’s brightest prospects.

Having held hopes of a call-up to Sven-Göran Eriksson’s 2006 World Cup squad, his indifferent form meant he did not travel to Germany as part of the Swede’s final 23.

Wright-Phillips continued to flit in and out of the Chelsea side during José Mourinho and Avram Grant’s spells at the helm.

In three seasons at Stamford Bridge, the Greenwich-born attacker played over 100 games but failed to justify the £21 million fee he had commanded as a 24-year old.

When Luiz Felipe Scolari took the hotseat, Wright-Phillips was allowed to re-sign for City in an £8.5 million deal, leaving Abramovich considerably out of pocket.

Andriy Shevchenko

After seven scintillating seasons at AC Milan, Shevchenko moved to Chelsea in the summer of 2006 for £30 million.

He had scored 127 times in 226 Serie A appearances for the Rossoneri, but his form did not translate to the Premier League.

Shevchenko netted just eight Premier League goals for Chelsea. https://twitter.com/oilysailor/status/523951871665250304

Bought by Abramovich on a personal whim, rather than at the request of Mourinho, the Ukraine captain was a shadow of his former self at Stamford Bridge.

He ended his first campaign with 14 goals but never properly gelled with Didier Drogba.

Whereas the Ivorian went on to cement his place as a club legend, Shevchenko longed for a return to Italy.

After a second disappointing year, his wish was granted and he made his way back to the San Siro.

However, after scoring just twice all season, he was again put up for transfer by Chelsea and signed for boyhood club, Dynamo Kiev, in August 2009.

Tal Ben Haim

Ben Haim signed on at Chelsea in the summer of 2007 after impressing in a three year stint at Bolton Wanderers.

Although the free transfer represented a much lower risk than a deal of great expense, the gulf in class between the Israeli and his teammates soon became clear.

Despite starting the campaign as first choice centre back, when John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho were both fit, he was relegated to the reserves.

After Mourinho left the Blues, Ben Haim’s opportunities reduced significantly under compatriot Grant and he played just a quarter of the team’s matches that season.

Months on from declaring his joy at arriving at Stamford Bridge, Ben Haim began speaking to the press about his dissatisfaction at being left out so frequently.

With time left on his £40,000 a week deal, he was sold to Manchester City in July 2008, with Abramovich paying up the rest of his contract over the subsequent three seasons.

Fernando Torres

Torres moved to Chelsea in January 2011 after agitating for a move away from Liverpool.

El Niño was a hero on Merseyside and became one of the world’s deadliest strikers during his time at Anfield, but his star began to fade as soon as the £50 million deal was completed.

Torres often cut a disconsolate figure at Stamford Bridge. (Image Credit)

He went 903 minutes without scoring for the Blues and ended his first six months at the club with just one goal to his name.

Torres’ finest moment came the following season when he scored to knock Barcelona out of Champions League, en route to the Blues’ triumph in Munich.

However, he only showed glimpses of the talent which had prompted Abramovich to open his cheque book and became the subject of derision across the country.

Loaned to AC Milan for the remainder of his contract, the deal said as much about Torres’ failings as it did Chelsea’s generosity.

Kaká’s Real Madrid spell aside, he is the most expensive flop in history, much to Abramovich’s regret.

André Villas Boas

After emerging as one of Europe’s most promising managers, Villas-Boas was chosen to replace Carlo Ancelotti when the Italian was sacked in May 2011.

He had guided Porto to an unprecedented treble that month and the Primeira Liga champion’s board were reluctant to see him leave.

To secure his return to Stamford Bridge, the 37-year old was forced to meet the release clause stipulated in his contract.

Abramovich stumped up the £13.3 million required, and Villas-Boas took the reins on the 22nd of June 2011.

However, he lasted just 40 matches and was sacked the following March.

Roberto Di Matteo, Villas-Boas’ former assistant took over and subsequently led the Blues to Champions League glory at the end of the 2011/12 campaign.