Chelsea signed £20m Arsenal star and player Arsene Wenger was gutted left in January

Chelsea are notorious for making the most of the January transfer window, with The Blues snagging several high-profile signings over the years

Chelsea may have made headlines over the summer by bringing in a flurry of fresh faces but could welcome more before the January window closes.

The Blues have had a stellar Premier League campaign thus far, currently sitting in sixth place with 11 wins, seven draws and five losses thanks to admirable performances home and away. And while many may expect that Enzo Maresca will be content after doing a wealth of business over the summer, the Italian could be looking to bolster his squad further ahead of midnight.

An injury crisis in the heart of defence has seen the Stamford Bridge top brass recall Trevoh Chalobah from his loan spell at Crystal Palace, while Robert Sanchez’s recent blunders against Manchester City have raised questions about his capabilities of keeping a clean sheet.

Meanwhile, the side are undoubtedly missing a proven goal scorer up top, with Nicolas Jackson’s insatiable form from earlier in the season starting to dwindle as of late. In the past, Chelsea have made some monumental signings in the January transfer window, and Monday’s proceedings could see more of the same if history is anything to go by. But who have the Blues swept in for last minute over the years, and what did they help Chelsea accomplish upon their arrival? Here, Mirror

Football breaks down five of Stamford Bridge’s most impactful January signings in history…

Olivier Giroud – January 31, 2018

Frenchman Olivier Giroud had already made a name for himself in the Premier League prior to his arrival in west London – scoring 105 goals in 253 appearances for Arsenal between 2012 and 2018. While Giroud never actually wanted to leave the Emirates Stadium, he wasn’t receiving the game time he hoped for towards the end of his tenure under Arsene Wenger – and made the move to Chelsea for an undisclosed fee on January 31, 2018.

Giroud won an FA Cup, a Europa League and a Champions League with Chelsea – scoring 39 goals in 119 appearances before ultimately signing for AC Milan in 2021. He spent three years at the Rossoneri, before signing for Los Angeles FC in May 2024 – the side he continues to ply his trade for today.

Nicolas Anelka – January 11, 2008

Wenger was sad to see the back of Nicolas Anelka when he parted ways with Arsenal in the summer of 1999, telling The Mirror in 2021: “My biggest regret and shame is that Anelka left. He could have been special, instead he played for 13 clubs.”

The French forward was a titan with The Gunners between 1997 and 1999, lifting a Premier League, and FA Cup and a Charity Shield before signing for Real Madrid in a £22.3m deal. However, his stint with Arsenal wouldn’t be his last in the Premier League.

Anelka returned to the English top flight with Manchester City in 2002 before signing for Fenerbahce in 2005, signed for Bolton Wanderers the following year, and arrived at Stamford Bridge in a £15m move in January 2008. For the Blues, Anelka scored 59 goals in 184 appearances, helping the side win a Premier League, two FA Cups and a Charity Shield before moving on to Shanghai Shenhua in 2012.

Anelka then played for West Bromwich Albion and Mumbai City, before hanging up his boots in 2015. Over the course of his career, Anelka had played for 12 teams in total – the definition of a journeyman.

David Luiz – January 31, 2011

Centre-half David Luiz had an immediate impact when he arrived at Chelsea on January 31, 2011, in a £21m deal with Benfica – deployed by Carlo Ancelotti. The now 37-year-old won an FA Cup, a Champions League and a Europa League with the Blues between 2011 and 2014 before making the move to Paris Saint-Germain – however, it was far from Luiz’s last rodeo in London.

The stalwart returned to Chelsea just two years later, settling unfinished business by scooping a Premier League title at Stamford Bridge in the 2016/17 campaign while adding another FA Cup and Europa League title to his list of accolades over the following two years.

Luiz made a shock move to Arsenal in 2019, transferred to Flamengo two years later, and is currently plying his trade with Fortaleza in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A.

Fernando Torres – January 31, 2011

Transfer deadline day in January 2011 was an incredibly busy period for Ancelotti, as he also welcomed Spanish starman Fernando Torres to west London for an undisclosed fee. The striker had already proven himself at Atletico Madrid and etched his name into the annals of history with Liverpool prior to his arrival at Stamford Bridge, so expectations were high.

And while a Premier League title evaded Torres with the Blues, he certainly paid dividends for Chelsea – helping scoop an FA Cup, a Champions League and a Europa League with the club during his four-year tenure. His 45 goals from 172 games may have been a far cry from the 81 in 142 at Liverpool, but Torres was certainly a fan favourite in Blue, leaving his mark on the English top flight once more before signing for AC Milan in 2015.

Torres enjoyed another spell with Atletico Madrid between 2016 and 2018, before signing for Sagan Tosu and hanging his boots up for good in 2019. He has managed the Atletico Madrid B team since 2024.

Gary Cahill – January 16, 2012

After impressing for Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers, Gary Cahill was snapped up by Chelsea for an undisclosed fee in January 2012. The centre-half served as a stalwart for the Lions over the course of the next seven years, racking up 290 appearances for Chelsea while lifting two Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, a League Cup, a Champions League and two Europa Leagues.

In the wake of John Terry’s departure from the club in 2017, Cahill was also appointed club captain. The now 39-year-old moved on to Crystal Palace in 2019 before transferring to Bournemouth in 2021. He hung up his playing boots the following year, capping off a stellar 18-year career.

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