Mauricio Pochettino “angry and disappointed” after Chelsea lose 4-1 at Newcastle.
Chelsea have undergone immeasurable change in recent years. The revolving door of Todd Boehly’s approach to transfer windows means the Blues squad now looks unrecognisable from only a few years ago.
That change can be best displayed by looking at a line-up from December 2017. A 2-0 victory over then-newly promoted Brighton, who visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday, elevated Antonio Conte’s side four points clear of Liverpool in third place. Express Sport takes a look at where the team is now, with none of the 18 stars in the matchday squad contracted to Chelsea.
Thibaut Courtois: Goalkeeper Courtois left Chelsea at the end of that season under a cloud. The Belgian forced his way into a move to Real Madrid, where he has remained for the last six years.
Cesar Azpilicueta: Long-serving defender Cesar Azpilicueta finally departed the west Londoners in the summer. He joined Atletico Madrid but has only played a bit-part role in La Liga.
Gary Cahill: Cahill was a regular starter under Antonio Conte and remained at Chelsea for a further season, helping the club win the Europa League under Maurizio Sarri. He joined Crystal Palace in 2019 before ending his career at Bournemouth.
Antonio Rudiger: Rudiger’s departure in 2022 was controversial given that the defender was almost unable to pen a contract extension due to strict measures imposed on the club in the wake of Roman Abramovich’s sanctions. There is an acceptance that Rudiger would have left regardless, though, joining Real Madrid where he continues to play regularly.
READ MORE: Chelsea higher-ups ‘suddenly drop’ Blues icon Pat Nevin from all media duties[LATEST]
Victor Moses: One of the most intriguing narratives of Conte’s spell was his successful use of former winger Moses as a wing-back. The Nigeria international excelled in the role and played a major part in Chelsea’s title triumph the previous season. Still only 32 but pushed back up the pitch, Moses is a key player for Russian side Spartak Moscow, scoring four times this season.
Tiemoue Bakayoko: Chelsea fans would be forgiven for thinking £40m flop Bakayoko had long since left the club. But the midfielder only departed in the summer on a free transfer, having embarked on a string of loan spells. The one-cap France international now plays for French outfit Lorient.
N’Golo Kante: Combative midfielder Kante drew the curtain on a remarkable Premier League career in the summer. Having won two top-flight titles and the World Cup during his time in England, the fans’ favourite joined the swathe of high-profile stars moving to Saudi Arabia where he plays for reigning champions Al-Ittihad.
Cesc Fabregas: Fabregas always seemed to be the type of player who would naturally transition into coaching. And the former midfielder was appointed to his first role – albeit as a caretaker – in November. Fabregas will oversee Italian Serie B side Como.
Marcos Alonso: Tenacious wing-back Alonso split opinion at Chelsea but was key during Conte’s reign. The Spaniard joined Barcelona in 2022 and won La Liga last season. He was linked with Manchester United in the summer but a move did not materialise.
- Support fearless journalism
- Read The Daily Express online, advert free
- Get super-fast page loading
DON’T MISS…
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino ‘lost the plot’ with players blamed for anger[CHELSEA]
Alan Shearer risks new Mauricio Pochettino row with ‘sad’ Thiago Silva verdict[QUOTES]
Mudryk ‘blamed Chelsea stars’ in leaked private chat with former team-mate[LATEST]
Eden Hazard: There are few players you think of before Hazard when you’re reminded of 2010s Chelsea. The Belgian won two Premier Leagues and was the star of both title-winning campaigns. He joined Real Madrid for £100m in the summer of 2019 but his career in Spain dovetailed, and the 32-year-old announced what felt like a premature retirement earlier this year.
Alvaro Morata: Morata was on the scoresheet in the victory over Brighton, Chelsea’s first meeting with the Seagulls in 29 years. The 31-year-old has had two clubs since leaving Stamford Bridge, initially on loan to Atletico Madrid in 2019. He joined the Spanish side permanently 12 months later and enjoyed a two-year temporary stay at Juventus between 2020 and 2022.
Substitutes: Danny Drinkwater, Willian and Michy Batshuayi were all used as substitutes. Drinkwater retired earlier this season after failing to find a club in over a year. Willian netted twice for west London rivals Fulham during their 3-2 victory over Wolves on Monday, while Batshuayi plays for Fenerbahce.
Source: Read Full Article
