Chelsea are understood to be in superior talks to signal Nathan Ake from Manchester Metropolis, because the west Londoners look to deliver the defender again to the membership.
Ake started his senior profession at Chelsea however made simply 17 first-team appearances in all competitions, earlier than growing right into a dependable Premier League performer throughout spells with Bournemouth and Manchester Metropolis.
The Dutch worldwide has gained back-to-back league titles with the latter, however is closing in on a return to Chelsea as he seeks extra common minutes subsequent season.
Ake is not going to be the primary participant to have returned for a second spell at Stamford Bridge nonetheless, listed below are 5 gamers who returned to Chelsea for second spells within the Premier League period.
Table of Contents
Graeme Le Saux
Graeme Le Saux started his Premier League profession at Chelsea, making 120 appearances in all competitions after progressing from the membership’s ranks.
The left-back’s time with the membership got here to a controversial finish nonetheless, when Le Saux threw his shirt to the bottom in anger after being substituted throughout a conflict with Southampton in 1993.
Le Saux was bought to Blackburn in a £700,000 deal and loved enormous success at Ewood Park, profitable the Premier League title throughout the 1994/95 marketing campaign, a season by which he was included within the PFA Workforce of the 12 months.
After 4 seasons with Rovers he grew to become the most costly defender in English soccer when he returned to Chelsea in a £5 million deal.
Embed from Getty Pictures
Le Saux spent six additional seasons with the west Londoners and gained 4 trophies, together with a League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup double in 1997/98, incomes a second inclusion within the Premier League’s Workforce of the 12 months.
He moved on in 2003 as Roman Abramovich’s arrival introduced in enormous funding, signing for Southampton the place he spent two seasons on the membership earlier than retirement.
Nemanja Matic
Chelsea secured the signing of Nemanja Matic from Košice in 2009, although the younger midfielder struggled for alternatives and made simply two league appearances.
Matic was used as a makeweight in a deal that introduced David Luiz to the membership from Benfica, with the Serbia worldwide impressing throughout three seasons in Portugal.
Matic shaped a part of the workforce that reached the 2012/13 Europa League last towards Chelsea, earlier than profitable the Primeira Liga the next season.
MATIC WITH THE PILEDRIVER 🔥#OnThisDay #ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/uPsnqhvtCq
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 22, 2020
Impressed together with his improvement, Chelsea re-signed Matic in £21m deal simply three seasons after permitting the midfielder to depart for a fraction of that charge.
Matic’s second spell proved an enormous success as he established himself as one of many Premier League’s most influential defensive midfielders, profitable two league titles in three-and-a-half seasons at Stamford Bridge. He departed in 2017, signing for Manchester United in a £40m deal.
Didier Drogba
Didier Drogba staked his declare as Chelsea’s best ever footballer throughout a primary spell with the Blues, proving a talismanic determine throughout essentially the most profitable period within the membership’s historical past.
A marquee arrival from Marseille, the Ivorian grew to become the point of interest of a Chelsea aspect that gained back-to-back Premier League titles beneath Jose Mourinho.
At his finest Drogba was among the many best forwards in world soccer, whereas his report within the largest fixtures – scoring 9 targets in 10 cup finals – cemented his legend at Chelsea.
🙌 Again in @ChelseaFC blue 🔵
Didier Drogba returned to Stamford Bridge #OnThisDay in 2014 pic.twitter.com/y6hSzjmecJ
— Premier League (@premierleague) July 25, 2020
Drogba twice gained the Premier League’s Golden Boot and gained 11 main honours, departing after his profitable kick sealed Champions League success for the west Londoners in 2012.
He returned for a second single season spell with Chelsea throughout the 2014/15 marketing campaign, offering an skilled choice at centre-forward throughout Jose Mourinho’s personal second stint on the membership.
Drogba scored seven targets in all competitions, taking his complete to 164 for Chelsea, and added a fourth Premier League title to his record of accolades.
David Luiz
David Luiz grew to become a preferred determine throughout three seasons at Chelsea, with the Blues’ followers appreciating his extravagant – if usually a bit of erratic – method of defending.
Having arrived from Benfica, he gained the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League, earlier than making a £50m transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.
David Luiz on his weaker foot 💥🎯🔝🗑️
🗓️ #OTD in 2013#UEL | @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/fK9FCUMsY8
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) May 2, 2019
The Brazil worldwide gained back-to-back league titles with the French aspect, earlier than returning to Chelsea in a £34m deal.
Luiz’s second spell noticed him turn out to be a key determine within the membership’s 2016/17 Premier League title success, starring within the centre of a again three for Antonio Conte’s aspect.
He was named within the PFA Workforce of the 12 months and likewise added the FA Cup and Europa League to his medal assortment throughout his second spell at Stamford Bridge.
Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku’s sad second spell at Chelsea got here to an finish this summer season, with the ahead returning to Inter Milan on mortgage.
Lukaku joined the west Londoners as a teen however did not make a breakthrough, earlier than excelling throughout a spell at Everton.
Large-money strikes to Manchester United and Inter Milan adopted, together with his performances for the latter persuading Chelsea to interrupt their switch report final summer season.
COMPARED: Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku each returned to their former golf equipment in 2021/22:
◎ Video games: 38-44
◉ Objectives: 24-15
◉ Assists: 3-0
◉ Worth: £12.8m-£97.5mChelsea signed the mistaken Serie A purpose machine. 🥴 pic.twitter.com/75H7GKJhNr
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 29, 2022
Lukaku scored 64 targets in 95 appearances for the Italian aspect, however struggled upon his Premier League return. The Belgium worldwide proved an ungainly match for Thomas Tuchel’s aspect, scoring simply eight league targets.
An ill-advised interview with Italian media, by which he criticised the membership, did little to enhance his reputation with few unhappy to see the striker go away this summer season.
Learn – Midfield Magicians: Michael Ballack – Little Kaiser
Learn Additionally – 5 of the most effective gamers to play for Man Metropolis and Chelsea
Subscribe to our social channels:
Fb | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
