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Chelsea sold XI from 2014: The ex-Blues stars who have become grade A players

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7 years ago

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chelsea

The Chelsea have a history of letting future stars of the game leave a little too early.

Eddie Nketiah is the latest former Chelsea star to dominate the back pages for his heroics in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Norwich in the Carabao Cup.

But the youngster is just one of a number of ex-Blues stars who have been deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, only to go on and suggest otherwise at another club.

Of course, it’s important not to get ahead of ourselves. While Nketiah had the game of his life for the Gunners on Tuesday, he is still only 18 and has some way to go before he is a regular at the Emirates.

That said, there are a number of former Blues stars who the club would love to have on their books now, so for a bit of fun, here is a Chelsea sold XI from 2014.

FW: Romelu Lukaku

Signed for/when: £20million in 2011

Sold for/when: £28million in 2014

Man United paid £75million for Romelu Lukaku at the start of the season (Image: Stanley Chou/Getty)

Since leaving Chelsea for Everton the 24-year-old forward has proven himself a prolific Premier League goalscorer, and just missed out on the Golden Boot to Harry Kane last season.

Manchester United shelled out £75million to sign the Belgian striker at the start of this campaign, and so far he’s bagged seven times for the Red Devils.

The Blues had attempted to sign him back ahead of his move to Old Trafford, but Lukaku snubbed Chelsea to link up with Jose Mourinho instead.

FW: Juan Mata

Signed for/when: £23.5million in 2011

Sold for/when: £37million in 2014

Juan Mata of Chelsea celebrates after scoring the winning goal
Juan Mata won Chelsea’s Player of the Year award in 2013 (Image: Alex Livesey/Getty)

A fans’ favourite while at Stamford Bridge, Mata won the Chelsea Player of the Year award in 2013.

But he fell out of favour under Jose Mourinho, who eventually sold him to title rivals Manchester United.

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Today Mata plays under the Portuguese at Old Trafford.

FW: Mohamed Salah

Signed for/when: £11million in 2014

Sold for/when: £13million in 2016

Mohamed Salah joined Liverpool from Roma at the start of the season (Image: Martin Stoever)

All eyes were on Salah when he moved to Chelsea in 2014, coming with the nickname ‘the Egyptian Messi’, but it never happened for him.

Salah was eventually sent out on loan to Fiorentina and then Roma, before signing with the latter on a permanent deal.

Jurgen Klopp splashed out £34million to bring the forward to Liverpool at the start of this season, and so far he’s netted five times.

MID: Kevin De Bruyne

Signed for/when: £6.7million in 2012

Sold for/when: £18million in 2014

Kevin De Bruyne is today one of the best players in the Premier League (Image: Getty Images)

The one name that causes every Chelsea fan to flinch.

The Blues signed the Belgian for a lowly £6.7million back in 2012 but were seemingly unprepared to allow him the time to develop.

He was shipped out to the Bundesliga where he caught the eye before moving back to the Premier League with Manchester City in a deal worth £55million.

Today he’s arguably the best player in the English top flight.

MID: Nemanja Matic

Signed for/when: £21million in 2014

Sold for/when: £40million in 2017

Nemanja Matic of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides fourth goal
Nemanja Matic left Chelsea for Man United in 2017 (Image: Getty)

A leggy and awkward midfielder who played a big part in Chelsea’s Premier League title win last season was shipped out to Man United at the start of the season.

Eyebrows were raised over Antonio Conte’s decision, especially when it became clear the positive impact he has had at Old Trafford.

The Blues replaced Matic with French youngster Tiemoue Bakayoko.

MID: Ramires

Signed for/when: £17million in 2010

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Sold for/when: £25million in 2016

Ramires celebrates after scoring the first goal for Chelsea
Ramires signed for Chelsea back in 2010 (Image: Action Images via Reuters / John Sibley)

The Brazilian enjoyed six successful seasons at Chelsea, winning the Champions League, Players’ Player of the Year and Goal of the Year during this time.

With his career at Stamford Bridge winding down, he switched to the Chinese Super League, where he today plays under Fabio Capello.

The move was a good one for all parties involved, with Chelsea recouping good money for the tenacious midfielder.

DEF: Filipe Luis

Signed for/when: £16million in 2014

Sold for/when: £16million in 2015

Vitesse Arnhem v Chelsea
Filipe Luis spent one season with the Blues (Image: Action Images)

Jose Mourinho splashed out on the left-back during his second spell in charge of Chelsea in 2014, but Luis struggled for game time at Stamford Bridge.

He was mooted as a replacement for Ashley Cole, and even took his number 3 shirt, but couldn’t get in the team over Cesar Azpilicueta.

After one season in London the Brazilian moved back to Atletico Madrid and Chelsea recouped all the cash they’d spent on him.

DEF: Nathan Ake

Signed for/when: £300,000 in 2011

Sold for/when: £20million in 2017

Nathan Ake signed for Bournemouth at the start of the season (Image: Scott Heavey)

Chelsea poached the youngster from Feyenoord in 2007 for a £300,000 compensation fee and helped him develop at Cobham.

From 2015 to 2017 he spent his time out on loan at Reading, Watford and Bournemouth, where he really started to impress.

So much so that Conte recalled him from his loan spell on the south coast last season, with plans to start him in the first team.

But it wasn’t to be for the Dutchman, and Bournemouth came back with £20million to sign him on a permanent deal.

DEF: John Terry

Signed for/when: Academy graduate in 1998

Sold for/when: Free transfer in 2017

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John Terry enjoyed his best years at Stamford Bridge (Image: Getty Images Europe)

Chelsea certainly got the best out of Terry. Unlike the above forwards who were been signed and sold on flippantly, the Blues have been a little more careful with defenders.

David Luiz is one example of a player in this position who left a little too prematurely, but Chelsea rectified their error by buying him back.

Anyway, back to Terry. The former England captain won it all with the Stamford Bridge club, but saw his game time reduced last season.

He transferred to Aston Villa at the start of this campaign, where he is performing well in the Championship, despite his declining years.

DEF: Branislav Ivanovic

Signed for/when: £9million in 2008

Sold for/when: Free transfer in 2017

Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic celebrates scoring their second goal
Branislav Ivanovic left the club at the start of the season (Image: Getty)

Another player who enjoyed his best years at Chelsea, but another player who still has a lot to offer the game.

After a quiet first year Ivanovic burst onto the scene in 2009, bagging two headed goals in a Champions League quarter final against Liverpool.

From there he became a regular Blues right-back, continually performing well in defence and grabbing goals when necessary.

He left the club at the start of the season for Zenit St Petersburg after losing his place in the team to the more industrious Victor Moses.

GK: Petr Cech

Signed for/when: £7million in 2004

Sold for/when: £10million in 2015

Petr Cech
Petr Cech joined Chelsea in 2004 (Image: Action Images / Alan Walter)

And finally, one last player who enjoyed his best years at Chelsea.

Cech was sold to Arsenal for £10million in 2015, as Thibaut Courtois took the baton from the Blues legend.

Eyebrows were raised in the same way they were when Matic moved to Manchester United, but Courtois has proven himself a brilliant replacement.

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Osimhen Crowned 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year

Published

5 months ago

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December 12, 2023

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Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.

Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.

The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.

During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.

Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.

The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”

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Lionel Messi Secures Historic 8th Ballon d’Or Triumph

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6 months ago

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October 31, 2023

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Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.

In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.

Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.

His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.

Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.

While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

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His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.

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“B Sample Reveals Presence of Testosterone in Pogba’s Test Results”

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7 months ago

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October 6, 2023

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Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.

The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.

The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.

On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.

The player’s entourage declined to comment.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.

The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

Testosterone promotes muscle development.

Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.

Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.

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In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.

Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.

The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.

Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.

Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.

His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

After the first sample tested positive on September 11,  Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.

“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.

 

ALSO READ  Lucas Moura arrives in London ahead of £25million Tottenham transfer

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