Chelsea’s most expensive signature ever

Chelsea and Todd Bouley have put cash on many new players in recent years, but who is the most expensive signature of the Blues ever?

Here at Football Fancast, we’ve looked at the top 11 in detail, looking at the most expensive signatures in Chelsea history, according to TransferMarkt and news reports.

Find out more about Chelsea’s 11 most expensive signatures.

11

Christian Purisic

£58 million from Borussia Dortmund

USA International Christian Pulisic was signed by Chelsea in January 2019 from Bundesliga Giants Borussia Dortmund for around £58 million. Winger starred in Germany, and Bruce hoped he would take the Premier League by storm, but unfortunately it never happened.

Pulisic made 145 appearances for Chelsea before it was sold for AC Milan in 2023 for just £20 million.

10

Romeo Lava

£58 million from Southampton

Romeo Lavia finally gets a chance in Chelsea’s colour after much of his first season has been derailed by injuries.

His second campaign at Stamford Bridge saw him suffer from some of the same issues, but he shows why Chelsea wanted him to spend £58 million in the summer of 2023.

An injury-free season may be key to Chelsea’s feeling that money is being spent a lot.

9

Alvaro Morata

£60 million from Real Madrid

The oldest arrival of this top 11 is Alvaro Morata, who joined Chelsea on a 2017 club record £60 million transfer from Real Madrid. However, the striker’s move to England did not go well in the end.

Morata is currently the captain of the Spanish national team, scoring 24 goals in 72 games for the Blues.

8

Mark Kukulera

£60 million from Brighton

Chelsea won the race ahead of Manchester City, signing Brighton & Hove Albion’s left-back Culera in 2022 for just over £60 million, with the Spaniard taking on the left-back role at Stamford Bridge.

Former Barcelona youth Kukurera was impressed by his first year in the UK with the Seagulls under Graham Potter.

7

Mykhale Mudryk

£62 million from Shakhtar Donetsk

Chelsea swooped before Arsenal, signing Shaktal Donetsk’s winger Mikkailo Mudrick in 2023 for £62 million, and Ukraine International signed a huge eight-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Still early in his career, Bruce will hope over time that trading turns out to be a sensible business.

His Chelsea contract could total £89 million, but as he hasn’t had much success so far, Shakhtar is set to miss a bonus worth £30 million.

6

Wesley Fofana

£70 million from Leicester City

Centre back Wesley Fofana was brought to Stamford Bridge from Leicester City in 2022, but his stay with Frenchman Chelsea has been hindered by injuries so far.

But given that he signed a seven-year deal, Bruce still has ample time to make the most of the Frenchman who spends a handsome £70 million on the people of West London – Leicester certainly knows how to get the right amount for a promising centre-back.

5

Kai Havertz

£71 million from Bayer Leverkusen

A versatile attacker, Kai Herberts, was brought to the UK by Chelsea in 2020 and took part in a £71 million deal from Bayer Leverkusen.

The German scored a winning goal for the Blues in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City in 2023, before being sold to rival Arsenal in 2023, where Chelsea brought in the majority of the fees they spent on players.

4

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£71 million from the Athletic Club

Kepa Arrizabalaga is the most expensive goalkeeper in history, but he was only fourth on Chelsea’s record-breaking signature list, showing the Blues’ stakes for the years that followed.

He was famously remembered for his Chelsea shirt for his refusal to be replaced by extra time in the EFL Cup final under Maurizio Sari.

3

Romeru Lukaku

£97.5 million from Inter

Striker Romell Lukaku returned to Chelsea for his second Stamford Bridge stint in 2021, with Bruce paying a club record fee of £97.5 million for the Belgian.

Although it initially looked like a masterstroke, Lukaku scored freely on Chelsea’s shirt, but over time the players have recently rented out in Italy in Italy, proving to be a costly mistake before Chelsea sells it to Napoli for the second time.

2

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million from Benfica

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez joined Chelsea on a £107 million contract from Benfica in 2023 shortly after winning the World Cup with Argentina.

It was a British record at the time, and the midfielder is undoubtedly still working to pay off that price, but he became a key member of the team under Enzo Maresca, who wears the captain’s armband in the absence of Reese James.