Ranking the Hits and Misses Among Chelsea’s £360m Defensive Spending Under New Owners BlueCo

From high-profile deals like Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella to emerging talents like Caleb Wiley, the Blues have been busy building for the future. But while some have shown promise, others have struggled or barely featured. 

With new faces like Jorrel Hato arriving and others yet to make their mark, Chelsea’s defensive rebuild is a work in progress. Here is a look at how each of the 12 defenders has fared or what is expected from them going forward.

Signed from Brighton in 2022, Cucurella has been the standout success of Chelsea’s defensive rebuild. He became a reliable starter at left-back and earned a spot in the Euro 2024-winning Spain squad.

Although some fans feel he should justify his hefty fee further, his performances improved under Enzo Maresca and made him the only one among Chelsea’s major defensive signings to consistently deliver. 

Signed from Leicester, Fofana was billed as a world-class centre-back. Unfortunately, he has suffered repeated injuries and spent significant time sidelined. His value has fallen, and he remains the biggest disappointment among high-cost defensive signings. 

Signed from Napoli in 2022, the Senegalese centre-back arrived with a strong reputation. He started well and even scored a stunning volley early on, but age and adaptation issues slowed his impact.

He departed for Saudi Arabia after just one season, making his time at Chelsea brief and underwhelming. 

The French youth international was expected to be a long-term centre-back option. Early glimpses showed promise and composure in training, but in match play he lacked consistency, according to fans.

Many hoped he could improve like Cucurella, but so far he has struggled to cement a starting role. 

Signed to cover centre-back depth when others were injured, Disasi showed aerial strength and great fitness. Fans saw him as a solid depth defensively, yet he failed to stand out. With injuries lifting and other players returning, his prospects looked limited.

He left Chelsea on loan to Villa during the 2024-25 winter window, but he is now back and the club is trying to ship him off.

Signed from Lyon in early 2023, Gusto was seen as a promising young right-back. He played regularly and impressed under different managers, displaying athleticism and pace.

Some supporters see him as one of the few signings under Blue Co to deliver good value relative to price. 

Joined from Fulham on a free transfer in 2024, Adarabioyo arrived as a squad player. With minimal investment, expectations were moderate. He is yet to establish himself in the first team, but his presence offers low-cost depth if needed.

This young left-back was signed from Atlanta United in mid-2024. He joined Chelsea’s squad as a development project and spent time on loan to gain experience. As of the latest season, Wiley has not featured, and his future depends on loan performance. 

The Basel defender arrived as a long-term prospect for the left side. He has shown glimpses in training and youth matches but remains behind Cucurella and others in the pecking order.

Chelsea fans hoped he would grow into his contract, but he is yet to make a significant first-team impact and is one of the many players penned down for departure. 

Signed from Boca Juniors in 2024, Anselmino is another young centre-back with potential. He spent time on loan and is considered part of the future plans, but he has yet to debut for the senior squad. 

Sarr is one of Chelsea’s young defensive prospects, signed with long-term potential in mind. The French centre-back arrived with high praise for his maturity and ball-playing skills, despite being just a teenager.

While he is yet to feature for the first team, the expectations are that Chelsea see him as part of their future defensive core. A loan move or development with the U21s is likely as he continues to grow.

Chelsea’s latest defensive signing, 19-year-old Jorrel Hato, joins from Ajax. Capable of playing as a left-back or centre-back, he brings versatility and ball-playing ability. Yet he must adapt physically to the Premier League.

Fans hope he becomes the next success, but it remains a high-stakes project. His arrival completes Chelsea’s eleven defensive signings under Blue Co, pushing total spending to over £360m on defenders alone.