10 Shocking Chelsea Departures That Nobody Expected

10. Damien Duff

A popular figure at Stamford Bridge, it wasn€™t as if the Irish winger that the club had splashed £17 million on to prize him from Blackburn Rovers in 2003 was no longer a part of the Chelsea first-team. The jinky left-winger had made 40 appearances in all competitions the previous season, and had formed a deadly double-pronged attack with Arjen Robben as the club romped home to successive league successes. So, it was certainly a bit of a surprise when he was allowed to leave the club for a cut-price fee of £5 million in July 2006.

''In my squad, there are always a few I want to leave and a lot of players I۪m desperate to keep. And there are always a couple of players I۪d like to keep but I have no courage to keep when I can۪t promise they۪ll be playing 75% of the matches. I like Damien as a player and as a person. He۪s such a good player, we will do good business with another club.۪۪ - Jose Mourinho, July 2006.

The fan favourite was in the midst of a transfer battle between Spurs and Liverpool for his services, when Newcastle came and won the race for the 27 year old. Ultimately, Duff€™s time on Tyneside would be marred by injury and poor form, and it would be his own goal which would ultimately prove to be the final nail in the club€™s relegation coffin three years later.