11 Ex-Chelsea Players You Maybe Didn’t Know Were Still Playing

Chelsea are one of – if not the – most successful football club in London. Arsenal give them a run for their money but their success on the European stage, something the Gunners cannot claim, perhaps puts them just ahead on the scale of subjectivity. Alas, the Stamford Bridge outfit have boasted some of the most exciting, and memorable, players of the Premier League era.

Think Eden Hazard, John Terry and Didier Drogba as prime examples. But it’s not always been sunshine and rainbows for players on their books, with a handful never managing to break into first-team proceedings.

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You’ve also got the cult heroes of the footballing world and those that have just disappeared off the face of the earth once they left the west of the capital for pastures new. Former prospect Gael Kakuta springs to mind – and the Lille-born forward is among the ex-Chelsea stars that you maybe didn’t know were still playing the beautiful game.

Goalkeeper and Defence

Starting in between the sticks, we’ve got Asmir Begovic. Known for being one of the tallest players to ever ply their trade in the Premier League at 199cm tall, the Bosnian was largely a back-up during his time in the west of the capital, typically playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois. He kept 10 clean sheets in his 33 outings, but two of his more notable stints came at Stoke City and Bournemouth. He’s now at Leicester City.

Albeit a winger while on the books of Chelsea, Juan Cuadrado has spent much of his following spells deployed at right-back – so that’s where we’ve stuck him. In his two years at the club, he played a mere 15 times, and it wasn’t long before he was sent out on loan to Juventus, who eventually secured his services permanently in 2017.

He’s spent the remaining years of his career in Italy, though, with the likes of Inter Milan and Atalanta. At the time of writing, he’s on the books of Pisa – who compete in Serie A. On the opposite side of the defence is Patrick van Aanholt, who is synonymous to most Premier League fans for his stint at Crystal Palace.

The stocky Dutchman, now 35, played just a handful (eight, to be precise) matches for the Blues and even managed to win the Premier League with them in 2009/10. Now back in his homeland, Van Aanholt – a 19-cap Netherlands international – has featured for Sparta Rotterdam since November 2024. He’s made over 30 appearances for De Kasteelheren.​​​​​​​

In the heart of the defence is Kurt Zouma, who is now playing for Romanian outfit CFR Cluj, and the unforgettable David Luiz, who is still playing at the age of 38. The seasoned Brazilian defender played just short of 250 times for Chelsea, and he’s now competing in the Champions League with Cypriot side Pafos FC.

Midfield

Tipped for big things in the early embers of his career, Oxford-born Josh McEachran was fondly admired by none other than Real Madrid back in the day but turned down Los Blancos to continue his development at his boyhood club. It, ultimately, didn’t work out for him at one of England’s biggest sides, as he made just 11 appearances in five years.

It’s a terrible shame really, given how mooted he was in his teenage years, and he’s now playing for Bristol Rovers after spells with the likes of Brentford (during their Championship years), MK Dons and Oxford United. Danny Drinkwater is another who was unable to reach the heights expected of them at Stamford Bridge.

Signed one season after winning the title with Leicester City in 2015/16, Drinkwater canned his chance to impress on the big stage. Now, the central midfielder is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Joleon Lescott, George Boyd, Papiss Cisse and Emile Heskey in the most ridiculous Sunday League side ever created.

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A Chelsea cult hero of sorts, Juan Mata excited the Stamford Bridge attendees on a bi-weekly basis while at the club between 2011 and 2014. In that time, the fleet-footed ace – widely regarded as one of the best Spaniards in the history of the Premier League – played 135 times and plundered 86 goal contributions.

No longer able to produce magic like he used to, the 2010 World Cup winner moved to Manchester United in 2014 and stayed eight years before becoming something of a globetrotter. He joined Galatasaray in Turkey, then moved to Vissel Kobe in Japan. Now, he’s in Australia playing for Melbourne Victory.

Forwards

On his day, there were not enough superlatives to describe the talent Willian had to offer. Fast, unpredictable and a brilliant set-piece taker, the Brazilian was named by Fikayo Tomori as one of the best Chelsea players he played alongside – and it’s easy to see why. A two-time Premier League winner with the Blues, he is now back in his homeland of Brazil.

Since leaving west London, Willian has turned out for the likes of Arsenal (the less said about that stint, the better), Corinthians, Fulham and Olympiacos. Now, he dons the strip of Gremio and has been since the summer after being left without a club.

Fabio Borini shocked many people when it was announced that he was returning to England to play for Gary Neville-backed Salford City, who are currently competing in the fourth tier of the English football pyramid. The Italian burst onto the scene as a young and excited forward in the capital, but he netted just three strikes in 38 appearances.

Wowing a player as gifted as Eden Hazard is no mean feat, but welcome to the world of Gael Kakuta. ”I’m gonna give you one name and John knows the player. The only one I was saying “wow” was Gael Kakuta,” the Chelsea legend said on the Obi One podcast. ”You asked me talent. Kakuta, by, far number one. Talent. I mean, talent. Wow.”

So, what happened? The 28-cap DR Congo international, now 34 years of age and entering the final years of his journeyman career, is plying his trade in Turkey for Sakaryaspor after a fleeting spell in India for Esteghlal FC. He moved back to Europe in February 2025 and has played 24 matches since in an attacking midfield role. He played just 16 times for the Blues.