10 Players Who Wish Chelsea Had Signed Them

4. Robbie Keane

Having failed to net Fowler, the Blues turned their attention to another Robbie in the winter of 2000, with the 20 year old Irishman having failed to settle at Inter Milan. Quick to capitalise on any uncertainty, Chelsea tabled a £12 million bid for his services in December 2000, with West Ham already having had a £10 million bid knocked back by president Massimo Moratti.

''We are currently looking at various playing options. We are monitoring the situation regarding Robbie Keane and have been in touch with Inter Milan about him. We can۪t bring in only world stars, we have to bring in the next generation as well.۪۪ - Chelsea managing director, Colin Hutchinson, December 2000.

However, as erroneous reports were spread that a deal had been agreed, Moratti instead told the club to up their bid, declaring that a deal could brokered only €˜with the consent of the player and a sum equal to the £13 million which we signed him for six months ago from Coventry€™. Instead, big-spending Leeds United swooped to sign the Irishman on loan, before signing him to a permanent deal five months later at a cost of £12 million. Keane would leave the club in the summer of 2002 for Spurs, before becoming a firm favourite there. However, would a part of Keane trade in his status at White Hart Lane for a crack at medals and trophies? The answer was already given in the summer of 2008, when he jumped ship for Champions League outfit Liverpool, before meekly crawling back six months later following a failed six months. The Irishman is an ambitious man, however, and there is nothing he loves more than winning, as shown by his emotional reaction to Spurs€™ League Cup victory in 2008. Sadly however, that was his only medal in English football. As we all know - at Stamford Bridge, he could have had the lot.