The XI That Got Away: Chelsea's Discarded Stars Who'd Outclass the Current Lot

Chelsea's downward spiral under BlueCo ownership has been nothing short of spectacular. Despite lavishing billions on transfers, the club looks substantially weaker than before, and the fanbase's patience is wearing paper-thin.

The narrative seemed to shift in 2024 when Chelsea appeared to be getting their act together, but that proved a false dawn. Now they're back in the mire, and it's worth asking: what if the club had retained some of the talent they've inexplicably offloaded since the 2022 takeover?

We've assembled a team of players sold or released under BlueCo's watch—a side that, frankly, would have little trouble dismantling the current Chelsea outfit.

Goalkeeper: Djordje Petrovic

The search for a reliable number one has been Chelsea's Achilles heel since Thibaut Courtois departed for Real Madrid in 2018. Robert Sanchez occupies the role now, forever one lapse in concentration away from catastrophe.

Last season offered a peculiar irony: two Chelsea goalkeepers thriving on loan exceeded Sanchez's standards. Kepa Arrizabalaga rebuilt his credentials at Bournemouth while Petrovic impressed at Strasbourg. Both were subsequently moved on. Kepa's "resurgence" proved temporary—he's now Arsenal's understudy—but Petrovic's trajectory has been steadier. At 26, he's among just three Premier League keepers to eclipse 100 saves this campaign. The kid was ready to be given a proper chance.

Right-back: Cesar Azpilicueta

Azpilicueta represents one of two defenders here who weren't technically sold but released during BlueCo's reign. Yes, he's now 36 and battling relegation with Sevilla in La Liga, but he'd still provide more defensive solidity than Chelsea's current left-wing torment.

Centre-back: Antonio Rudiger

A free transfer to Real Madrid preceded one of the best decisions Chelsea never made. Rudiger's subsequent record speaks volumes: he was included in The Best FIFA Men's XI for 2024 following Madrid's La Liga and Champions League triumph. Now 33 and dealing with injury setbacks as his contract winds down, he remains a regular starter when fit—something Chelsea's current centre-backs can barely claim.

Centre-back: Renato Veiga

Veiga edges out Andreas Christensen, whose season has been derailed by ACL damage. Chelsea's handling of the Portuguese defender was bewildering—he departed after just six months, frustrated by an inability to play in his natural position. The club's recruitment strategy left plenty of questions unanswered.

He subsequently joined Juventus on loan before Villarreal secured him permanently, where he's flourished in his preferred role. At least Chelsea banked a profit. Because apparently, that's the only metric that matters now.

Left-back: Lewis Hall

Hall's departure from Chelsea's academy to join Newcastle United in 2023 stung supporters at the time. The boyhood Magpie has since amassed nearly 100 appearances and four England caps—a trajectory suggesting he'll feature in the next World Cup squad.

Newcastle have endured a season as deflating as Chelsea's, yet Hall, still only 21, has been among their standout performers.

Central midfield: Jorginho

Jorginho transferred to Arsenal in January 2023, where his experience proved invaluable before a subsequent move to Flamengo last summer. At 34, Chelsea weren't unreasonable in cashing in when they did. However, his trophy haul in Brazil has been remarkable, and he brings the kind of leadership and composure Chelsea have desperately lacked since his departure.

Central midfield: Conor Gallagher

Few departures crystallised BlueCo's destructive approach like Gallagher's 2024 sale to Atlético Madrid. The suspicion that they were systematically dismantling the squad's character became hard to ignore. Better midfielders have graced Stamford Bridge, perhaps even currently, but Gallagher's grit and determination were qualities Chelsea would come to miss acutely.

Central midfield: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Dewsbury-Hall found Chelsea a bridge too far in his development, even under Enzo Maresca, his former Leicester manager. His rehabilitation at Everton has been impressive, though—eight league goals this season, a tally surpassed among Chelsea's midfielders only by Enzo Fernández.

Right wing: Christian Pulisic

Pulisic never quite justified the fanfare surrounding his move from Borussia Dortmund, managing just 26 goals across 145 Chelsea appearances. AC Milan told a different story. In 132 games, he's reached 42 goals, earning back-to-back Serie A Team of the Season selections in his first two campaigns.

Sceptics will argue Italian football suits him better, but his consistency and output suggest Chelsea simply failed to unlock his potential.

Centre-forward: Kai Havertz

Eyebrows raised when Chelsea sold Havertz to Arsenal for £65m in 2023. Yes, he scored the Champions League final winner in 2021, but he never quite found his groove at Stamford Bridge or settled on a permanent position.

Arsenal's gain became Chelsea's recurring nightmare. He's scored more for the Gunners than he ever did for Chelsea, and they've finished above his former club in the table every season since. Worse, he's tormented them with a brace in April 2024 and a Carabao Cup semi-final goal this term.

Left wing: Callum Hudson-Odoi

Hudson-Odoi was once earmarked as a potential £100m prospect before Chelsea sold him to Nottingham Forest for just £5m after he lost his way. The winger has since scored eight goals in his Forest debut season and now boasts 19 for the club overall.

He'll never reach those once-predicted heights—injuries see to that—but his revival proves the damage was Chelsea's to prevent, not Forest's to fix.