10 Players Who Probably Regret Leaving Chelsea

Very few players leave the Bridge and end up in a better place.

Nigel French/PA Archive/Press Association ImagesNigel French/PA Archive/Press Association ImagesEver since the Roman Abramovich takeover of Chelsea football club in 2003, there have been just as many comings than goings during a decade of change at the London outfit. The super-rich Russian oligarch has used his well-thumbed chequebook to bring some of the world's greatest players to SW6, from Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole through to Fernando Torres and Andriy Shevchenko. And, just as there has been a managerial merry-go-round with nine different bosses in ten years, so too has many a player come and gone, sometimes not for the better. Whether they were turfed out, fell out with the manager or just simply opted for a different career path, here we take a look at 10 Players Who Probably Regret Leaving Chelsea.

10. Shaun Wright-Phillips

Mike Egerton/EMPICS SportMike Egerton/EMPICS SportChelsea paid Manchester City £21 million to secure the services of England winger Shaun Wright-Phillips in 2005, but the midfielder's stay at Stamford Bridge was marred with regrets. Despite his lofty price tag, the midfielder struggled to hold down a starting place during Jose Mourinho's first stint as manager, with the 'Special One' preferring Joe Cole and Arjen Robben in midfield. However, despite inconsistent form and with it irregular playing time, Wright-Phillips won every single domestic honour in England during his three-season stay at the club. That's a far cry from where he's at now, having joined Queens Park Rangers in 2011 following another stint back at City. Winning silverware to playing Championship football is hardly a progressive move.
Contributor
Contributor

Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.