Chelsea Transfers: Ranking the Top 10 Foreign Blues of All Time

Chelsea has always prided itself on its label as a "glamour club" and its upmarket location.

It was these two factors that first prompted a whole host of foreign footballers to sign on at Stamford Bridge.

The first notable signing from the continent was that of Ruud Gullit, at one point the best player in the world, whose knee injuries had forced him from the top echelons of the game.

Gullit became a key figure at Chelsea and would go on to replace Glenn Hoddle as player-manager.

It was Ruud's calibre and pulling power that led to the "continental revolution" at Chelsea with Gianluca, Vialli, Roberto Di Matteo and Frank Leboeuf starting the influx of foreign talent.

Chelsea would go on to become a club famed for its imports, becoming the first side to feature a completely foreign XI.

When Roman Abramovich took over, most of the players he signed were foreign, and many of them would go on to become Chelsea legends.

Here is a top 10 list of Chelsea's greatest foreign Blues.

Honorable Mentions

William Gallas

 The French defender enjoyed his best years at Stamford Bridge and cemented his reputation as one of the greatest centre backs in the world. However, the ignominious nature of his departure soured his image in the eyes of many fans.

Gianluca Vialli

 As a manager, Vialli would lead the club to their highest ever Premier League finish pre-Abramovich, as he guided the squad to third in the league. Although an iconic figure as a player and hugely popular, he was not able to score the goals that would have transformed the club into title contenders.

Frank Leboeuf

 Another extremely popular player, Leboeuf revolutionised what was expected of a central defender with calm on the ball and an eye for goal.

Nicolas Anelka

 The Golden Boot winner in 2008/09, Anelka has been impressive in front of goal for the majority of his Chelsea career. However, at times, he has gone missing in the big games and lacks the passion to truly endear himself to the Chelsea faithful.

Claude Makelele

 One of the greatest signings of the Abramovich era was Claude Makelele, whose contribution to Chelsea's success from the holding position should not be underestimated. 

The French international revolutionized that position by sitting in front of the defense, which is now universally known as the "Makelele role."

Carlo Cudicini

 Carlo was held in high esteem as the best keeper in the league before Cech came along, and his loyalty to the club should not be downplayed.

Marcel Desailly

 Club captain and highly respected figure, Desailly was a rock at the back throughout his Chelsea career.

Tore Andre Flo

 The Norwegian big man was always likely to pop up with an important goal and proved himself to be an accomplished finisher during his time at Stamford Bridge. 

10. Dan Petrescu

Dan Petrescu will go down as the greatest right back in Chelsea history and will be remembered as one of the best attacking full backs in the Premier League years.

He had a talent for getting up and down the pitch and played a big part in a revolutionary period in Chelsea's history.

He scored many important goals in his Chelsea career, including several important strikes in Chelsea's successful Champions League campaign of 2000.

Petrescu was a hugely popular figure at Stamford Bridge, and his departure was disappointing to many Chelsea fans.

9. Ruud Gullit

Ruud Gullit was signed by Glenn Hoddle in 1995, and it made the footballing world sit up and take notice.

Gullit had carved a reputation for himself, with AC Milan and the Dutch national team, as one of the world's greats, and his decision to move to Chelsea shocked many at the time.

Gullit stole the show in his one and only full season as a player at the Bridge, defying his age and his temperamental knees with a string of sensational performances.

He then went on to spark a continental revolution at Chelsea when he became player-manager the following season.

He signed Gianfranco Zola, Gus Poyet, Roberto Di Matteo and Frank Leboeuf and a new era at Chelsea had begun.  

8. Gustavo Poyet

If not for Frank Lampard's arrival and subsequent success, Gustavo Poyet would go down as the greatest goalscoring midfielder in Chelsea history.

Poyet found the net 35 times in just four seasons at Stamford Bridge, and so many of those goals were memorable.

The long-range effort against Lazio in the Champions League set the Blues on their way to the quarterfinals in their inaugural attempt at the competition.

He managed to score twice in the win over Newcastle in the FA Cup semifinals of 2000, and he netted twice more in the famous 5-0 thumping of the champions, Manchester United.

His scissor-kick volley after a fantastic team move against Sunderland on the opening day of the 1999-2000 season will always be remembered.

7. Roberto Di Matteo

There is a reason why Roberto Di Matteo's appointment as Andre Villa-Boas' assistant at Chelsea was met with such popularity by Chelsea fans.

Di Matteo was a hero at Stamford Bridge and scored two Wembley Cup Final goals that helped Chelsea to two FA Cup triumphs in 1997 and 2000, respectively.

His stunning strike within 42 seconds in 1997 became the quickest goal in Wembley Cup Final history.

Di Matteo was hampered in his Chelsea career by a horrific leg break, but the Chelsea fans always got behind him, and the team played better when he was in the side.

6. Petr Cech

Petr Cech has been a mainstay of the Abramovich era, and there are few keepers more reliable than "Big Pete."

His calm yet imposing presence in the penalty box inspires confidence in his defenders and psyches out opposition strikers.

Petr Cech broke Peter Schmeichel's record for longest period of time without conceding a goal in the Premier League that has since been broken by Edwin Van der Sar.

Cech hardly put a foot wrong last season, and there are indications that he will be Chelsea's No. 1 for years to come.

This man will go down as the most successful and the greatest keeper in Chelsea history.

5. Ricardo Carvalho

Ricardo Carvalho was one of the most underrated players of the entire Abramovich era, showing an incredible willingness to start attacks and to get forward from the center back position.

Carvalho was without equal in timing his tackles and was the perfect defensive partner for club captain John Terry. Parallels could be drawn between Carvalho and David Luiz.

He contributed to so many fantastic Chelsea moment,s and who will forget his stunning strike against Manchester United or the sight of him running neck and neck with Lampard as the goal that brought the title in 2005 was scored?

The decision to sell Carvalho to Real Madrid at the start of the 2010-11 campaign backfired with the injury of Alex and the need to play Ivanovic at right back.

Chelsea were desperately short of cover in the central defensive region with youngster Jeffrey Bruma being asked to step up to the plate.

The sale of Carvalho may have been a factor in Chelsea's disappointing campaign last season.

4. Eidur Gudjohnsen

Eidur Gudjohnsen was a club legend whose strike partnership with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink helped to keep Chelsea in the top half of the table before Abramovich's arrival.

His footballing brain and passing vision were second to none, and he scored over 50 goals in his time at the Bridge.

Jose Mourinho was able to transform him from a centre forward into an incisive attacking midfielder, able to create chances out of nowhere.

He played an integral part in Chelsea's championship wins of 2004-05 and 2005-06 before his move to Barcelona.

However, the one achievement that he had never accomplished was to score a hat-trick in senior football in any competition, for any club.

Until, that is, Chelsea clashed with Blackburn just as Mourinho's men were hitting their stride in the 2004-05 season.

Eidur Gudjohnsen scored three out of the four goals after Frank Lampard conceded the opportunity to score from the penalty spot.

It was an indication of how high the team spirit was at that time, and it was the highlight in the Chelsea career of the Icelandic forward.

3. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's prolific return of 70 goals in 136 matches make him one of the top goalscorers in Chelsea history.

He was one of the best strikers in the Premier League at a time when Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy were strutting their stuff.

His explosive right foot and lethal nature in front of goal made him a force to be reckoned with, and the partnership he forged with Eidur Gudjohnsen became the lynchpin of the side.

Jimmy Floyd was quite the character as well, and his nonchalance and sense of confidence made his presence always entertaining in a match. 

2. Didier Drogba

He is powerful, skillful and deadly in front of goal; no centre forward in the world has the ability to terrorize defenses like the Ivorian.

Signed for £24 million in the summer of 2004, Drogba was initially disappointing, and injuries made it difficult for him to really make his mark on Mourinho's team.

But in 2006-07, Drogba scored 33 goals in all competitions and made himself the figurehead of Chelsea's attack.

He has since become the sixth highest scorer in Chelsea history and the highest-scoring foreign player to ever ply his trade at Stamford Bridge.

He enjoyed his best season for the club in 2009/10, as he won the Golden Boot with 29 league goals and helped the club to their first ever "Double."

He is the only player in history to have scored in six English Cup Finals, and he has become a symbol of the most successful period in Chelsea history.

1. Gianfranco Zola

Gianfranco Zola was voted the "Greatest Chelsea Player of All Time" by Blues fans, and the little Italian playmaker fully deserved this title.

He was cut from the same cloth as Lionel Messi and was deadly in the hole behind the strikers, where he could jink in and out of defenses like no one in Premier League history.

His dribbling skills were spell-binding, and his mazy solo goal against Manchester United in 1997 was one of the finest of his long Chelsea career.

He, more than anyone, truly transformed Chelsea from mid-table underachievers to title contenders in a time when no one had heard the name of Roman Abramovich.

His winning goal against Stuttgart in the Cup Winners Cup Final of 1998 was one of the finest moments in the club's history.

He was always among the goals in his Chelsea career, finding the net 59 times for the club in the Premier League alone.

But it was his final season in English football, at the age of 37, that he lit up the goalscoring charts with 14 league goals.

His final strike for the club was an exquisite lob on the run against Everton, and it characterized Gianfranco Zola's illustrious and legendary Chelsea career.