Chelsea seem to have unlimited money, which is well suited to the club's big-handed transfer policy rather than savvy, unknown transfers. With Abramovich's funding, the club was able to fund blockbuster signings, which allowed them to join the elite group of European clubs. However, when it comes to players and managers, frequent turnover can sometimes lead to poor planning for the future. There have been so many different football philosophies at Stamford Bridge and Cobham training grounds lately that naturally some players can't fit in, and players who were previously eliminated may find new life. This can sometimes allow the club to sell off some redundancy and fund bigger transfers, but occasionally it can lead to a player who doesn't fare well at Chelsea and excels elsewhere. It is also an issue that has become increasingly prominent since the turn of the century. Chelsea's purchasing power in the transfer market remains staggering, but there are some questionable decisions when it comes to selling. Here are five players who have done well after leaving Chelsea.
Salah
Salah, who may have been the best-form player in world football in 2021-22, was a Chelsea player but ultimately did not succeed. The Stamford Bridge-based team signed the Egyptian striker after his heroic performances in the Europa League in 2012-13 and the Champions Cup in 2013-14, but it was not a perfect signing. Mourinho's preference for a fixed starting eleven made it difficult for the forward line-up to make room for him, and Salah was forced to watch from the sidelines. In a rare off-the-bench appearance, he scored his final goal in a 6-0 win over Arsenal. Salah is now outstanding at Liverpool, especially against Chelsea, where he scored 148 goals for the Reds and helped the team win the Champions League and Premier League titles.
De Bruyne
Similar to Salah's situation, Chelsea's competition for the position has made De Bruyne a marginal figure. Juan Juan Juan Mata, Oscar and Hazard are the first three-man duo after the Arrow forwards, while the Belgians are the rotational option. He actually did quite well when he got the chance, contrary to what was widely believed, but he quickly sought to leave due to a lack of opportunities and the club were very happy to say goodbye to him. While the stats of one assist in nine chelsea games weren't very appealing, De Bruyne still adapted to English football and proved himself under the guidance of another coach. He has been growing at a rapid pace since he chose to leave the club. He had a very long loan spell at Werder Bremen and showed his ability to control the future. In Wolfsburg, however, he exploded completely. In just 18 months at the club, he has contributed 57 goals and assists in 73 games. Manchester City threw an olive branch, and the rest became history. After 75 goals, 113 assists and 13 trophies, it's safe to say that City and the illustrious Belgian are a perfect combination.
Lukaku
Although Lukaku is now back at the club, his performance has not been as good as many people expected, in fact, his initial performance at Chelsea was not very good, but he has developed well since leaving Stamford Bridge. Chelsea should have kept RomeLukaku after both West Bromwich Albion and Everton enjoyed brief successes, but his decisive mistake in the Super Cup penalty shootout seemed to have been on his mind ever since, as he sought to leave. He played for Everton and often bullied Premier League defenders, including in a 2016 game at Goodison Park, when he kicked his former club out of the FA Cup with two goals and won himself a move to Manchester United. Although life in Manchester is not so optimistic, he is still a fairly reliable goalscorer, although he has also received a lot of criticism. At Inter, however, his career took a turn for the better. Led by Antonio Conte, Lukaku looks like a world-class superstar. Before the Belgian striker joined United, Conte wanted to sign him at Chelsea. Conte's dynamic counter-attacking style and three-back style of play suit Lukaku, who often finds himself gaining huge space on the right wing, capable of advancing with the ball in midfield. If the Blues hadn't sold him in the first place, they would have saved themselves a fortune.
Robben
While Robben did well at Chelsea, especially when he was fit, his injury record destroyed what could have been a productive period. His talent is there for all to see, with Real Madrid willing to pay more than £30 million to sign him in 2007, but expectations of Robben were too high. The Dutch star has never lived up to expectations of him, although he has contributed more than 40 goals in more than 100 games he has played for the club. However, his performances at Bayern Munich proved that he could have been Chelsea's ace. Although it was his missed penalty in extra time that helped Chelsea lift the Champions League in 2012, Robben scored the winning goal in the final the following year to help the Bundesliga giants win their historic treble. He has won a total of 20 trophies at the Allianz Arena, scoring more than 140 goals and assisting more than a hundred times in 309 games. You know what Robben will do in the game, but you just can't stop him.
Sturridge
Sturridge's career has been affected by injury problems, but he was a top striker. After joining Chelsea from Manchester City, there were high hopes for the Briton, and although he scored 11 Premier League goals in the rather dismal season of 2011-12, it was not enough to convince fans, experts or the board to keep him. His second season at Anfield was his best so far, and although his stats were overshadowed by Luis Suarez's glamorous performances, Sturridge excelled at Liverpool's attacking end. He scored 22 goals in the league and assisted 10 goals. If Suarez wasn't there, Sturridge would have received more praise. Injuries quickly caught up with him, and he never played more than 20 games in a Premier League season since the 2013-14 season, but in that year, Sturridge's physical condition reached its peak and he was a man to watch.