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Chelsea's best ever transfer signing?

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BlueBeard

BlueBeard

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In the 'what is going on?' thread, Loud And Proud commented that Frank Lampard was possibly the best player signed by a Chelsea manager. Got me thinking about the transfer signings we've made over the years - who do you think is/was the best, and for what reason?

To my mind, the following players were among the best transfer signings we've made, mostly because they were virtual unknowns at the time, and became Chelsea heroes.

Charlie Cooke - bought for ?72,500 from Dundee in April 1966 by Tommy Docherty.

Ian Hutchinson - bought from Cambridge Utd. (then in the Southern League) for just ?2,500 in July 1968 by Dave Sexton.

David Webb - bought for ?40,000 from Southampton (part-exchange with Joe Kirkup) in February 1968 by Dave Sexton.

John Dempsey - bought for ?70,000 from Fulham (part-exchange with Barry Lloyd) in January 1969 by Dave Sexton. Not exactly an unknown, but a great signing nonetheless!

Eddie Niedzwiecki - bought for just ?45,000 from Wrexham in June 1983 by Johnny Neal.

Pat Nevin - bought for ?95,000 from Clyde in July 1983 by Johnny Neal.

Kerry Dixon - bought from Reading for just ?150,000 (plus ?25,000 later) in August 1983 by Johnny Neal.

But obviously there have been loads of other great signings over the years, including the likes of Gullit, Zola, Desailly, Vialli, Hughes, Flo, Petrescu, Di Matteo, Lampard, Cech etc......far too many to think of, let alone mention (I'm beginning to wish I hadn't started this now, I'm getting a headache)
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So, who do you think is/are the best?

On the other hand, who would you say was the worst transfer signing we've made? Gawd knows, there's been a few!
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Could include Robert Fleck, Enrique De Lucas, Mark Bosnich, Juan Sebastian Veron.....though I've got a feeling Winston Bogarde will get quite a few mentions
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It's up to you, but I don't think it would be fair to include any players who are still in their first season at the club
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Carlo Cudicini cost just ?160k and when you compare it to the ?4,5mil ManU paid for Massimo Taibi just a year earlier(?), you see what a great bargain he was. Although I must admit, to have seen Taibi's farewell appearance for ManU live would've been priceless!
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Sorry, there is only one Gianfranco Zola, the best player I have, and probably ever will see in a Chelsea shirt.

?6mill (ish), what would he be worth now if he were 24 yrs old today???

 
It's Hoddle for me, without him it's unlikely we would be where we are at the moment. I believe it was him that tempted Ruud which began the influx of the great and masterful particularly Gianfranco who I believe to be the best Blue signing ever to put pen to paper.

 
It's Hoddle for me, without him it's unlikely we would be where we are at the moment. I believe it was him that tempted Ruud which began the influx of the great and masterful particularly Gianfranco who I believe to be the best Blue signing ever to put pen to paper.
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That's very true - the only reason I didn't mention him was that he was far more influential as a manager than as a player.

 
Super Dan Petrescu!

Arrived at the club from Sheffield Wednesday maybe around January time??

I cant quite remember.

Although I remember im scoring on his debut against Newcastle in front of the North stand,Quality!!!

Glenn Hoddle signed him and he loved Chelsea!!

Ok,he wasn't the best ever signing...(Kerry Dixon was 4 me)

But he had something special about him...an underrated genius outside Chelsea circles!!

Super Dan!!

Oh and Clive (Sp*rs) Allen scored a few for us as well!!

 
Even taking into account the great players from recent times, I'd still have to go for Wee Pat.

Nevin gave me more pleasure from a spectators point of view than any other Chelsea player. Just to watch him go passed defenders when he went on one of his mazy dribbles was worth the entrance money alone.

 
I go with Nibs - Pat for me, Kerry a close second.

I have to admit I am basing this purely on players I have seen play as I can't properly compare to the players in the 60s and 70s. as although I have seen video footage and read books etc that doesn't really compare with seeing them playing week in week out and living through the era.

I would say that the most important signing in terms of recent development was Ruud Boy - the day we signed him felt like a turning point for us - you could just feel there were exciting times ahead.

 
I dont think the signing of Glenn Hoddle as player/manager can ever be underestimated.

It was totally unlike Chelsea to go for someone like that at the time. Young, fresh and full of ideas.

Under Glenda we may not have progressed too much as a team but as a club we made our first steps to where we are today. And without doubt - no Hoddle - no Gullit.

He may have had a lot of sh*t over the years but Hoddle will always have a place in my Chelsea heart.

On the other hand, who would you say was the worst transfer signing we've made?
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Cant see past Fleck myself. Followed by Sutton, then Veron. In terms of value for money SWP and Sheva are currently trying their best to match them it has to be said.

 
Close call Ian Hutchinson is my all time favourite but Roberto Di Matteo was a great buy...

...and of course there was Slavisa Jokanovi? who I defended rigourously on the old site week in week out.

Got to be Hutch (call it age)

 
Flo, Carlo, Gudjohnsen, Vialli, Lamps and of course Zola are some of the great players to bless SB.

Best is probably Zola

Worst is probably old Winston Bogarde (What a pile of s**t).

I guess my selection gives some indication of my age.

 
I would probably say Gullit, just because of what happened to our history since then. He was the first piece of special world talent that we had bought in ages, and they were exciting times.

Also thought that Desailly was an immense buy.

Lampard for 11m? Many people laughed at the time. What a signing.

 
Ian Hutchinson, Charlie Cooke, Glen Hoddle, Dan Petrescu, Chappie, Ruud Gullit, kings Zola and Kerry and of course Pat Nevin and I would have to say Cech.

on the flip side ....Bogarde, Delucas, Veron

 
best: Franco...even our most fierce rivals thought he was great

Worst: Just to be different i will say Ambrosetti - the next Ryan Giggs apparently!

 
for me, since I have been watching chelsea it is pretty much as follows.

Hod's, Gullit, Zola, Lamps

Mentionables, Guddy, Eddie Newton (was he a signing?), DI matteo, Petrescu, JFH

Bad uns...quiqui de lucas, jokanovic, del horno, gordon durie, laudrup (great player, but never settled), bogarde

 
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