10 Players Who Probably Regret Joining Chelsea
3. Andriy Shevchenko
If there is one player who epitomises the bad choice, it is Andriy Shevchenko. Having forged a reputation in Milan as one of the most exciting and fearsome strikers on the planet, he soon felt that he had outgrown the relationship. Having grown stale and weary in the love nest with the Milanese, the 2004 Ballon dOr winner wanted to spread his wings, and sample experiences anew.
After 127 goals for the club, and a Champions League medal in 2003, Abramovich offered a record £59 million plus Hernan Crespo in the summer of 2005. At 29 years old, eyebrows were raised, but there was no denying Shevchenkos class. Nonetheless, it was turned down by Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, with the club refusing to be seen as losing their prized assets in the wake of their disastrous Champions League final debacle.
Abramovich would have to wait a year to get his man, signing him for a hefty fee of £30.8 million. Punters have often wondered whether Mourinho ever really wanted the AC Milan hitman. With the Portuguese boss having struck up a close rapport with Didier Drogba, there seemed to be an air of Shevchenko being thrust into the mix, with Mourinho essentially told to play the club record signing.
The problem, of course, was that Shevchenko suddenly looked devoid of the skill and finishing capabilities that had illuminated his time in Milan. Looking slow and sluggish on the ball, he struggled to keep up with the high-intensity pace of the Premier League, always late to every ball. He amassed nine league goals in his two seasons in the English capital a far cry from the 127 scored in seven seasons for the Italian giants.
However, a loan stint at Milan in a bid to regain some form in 2008 failed to relight the spark, failing to find the net in 18 Serie A appearances. Andriy Shevchenko is one of the greatest strikers of the modern era.
He just arrived at Chelsea one year too late.