Chelsea have had some phenomenal players who stayed with the club for the majority of their careers. This includes the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry, and Didier Drogba. However, for a club that has always had a high turnover of players and managers, many young talents have gone on to play their best soccer away from Stamford Bridge.
Blues fans will regret that these players were not able to showcase their best talent in a Chelsea shirt.
5 players who left Chelsea too soon
5. Arjen Robben
It is often forgotten that Arjen Robben had a spell with Chelsea, as he went on to have so much success with Bayern Munich later on in his career. He arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2004 after impressing in the Eredivisie with PSV Eindhoven.
Robben's Chelsea career got off to a slow start as he was injured in a pre-season friendly against AS Roma. When he finally got his chance in the Blues lineup, he grasped it and was close to winning the PFA Young Player of the Year. Wayne Rooney beat him for that award.
Injuries continued to be an issue for Robben, as he missed the 2005 League Cup final with a knock. The Blues still won that trophy, and Robben was to play a crucial role in the 2007 final as he set up Didier Drogba's winner against Arsenal.
Robben also won the Premier League twice and the FA Cup with the Blues. He then joined Real Madrid, but became more synonymous with Bayern.
4. Mason Mount
It had looked like Mason Mount was to become a one-club man at Chelsea, barring loan spells at Vitesse and Derby County. He was set to emulate Blues legend Lampard, who was his manager at Chelsea and Derby.
However, academy graduates of many clubs are not always given the contracts they deserve at clubs. Chelsea have always been a team that spends big, and the big deals often go to new signings.
The Champions League winner with the Blues never got the deal he wanted at the club. He then joined Manchester United, where he has been plagued by injury.
3. Juan Mata
Juan Mata was once a Chelsea hero who won the Champions League, Europa League, and FA Cup with the club. Stamford Bridge appeared to be a happy place for Mata, especially as he was playing alongside his friend Fernando Torres. Mata was even Chelsea's player of the year in 2013. He was in his mid-twenties and looked to be set for a long and successful career with the west London side.
Unfortunately, his time at Chelsea became sour when Jose Mourinho started his second stint as Chelsea manager. Mourinho favored playing Oscar as the club's number 10. Mata lacked game time and was often played in a wide position.
Mata left Chelsea in the January 2014 transfer window for Manchester United. He had success with the Red Devils before also playing for Galatasaray, Vissel Kobe, Western Sydney Wanderers, and now Melbourne Victory.
2. Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah is another player who many fans forget played for Chelsea. This is due to his legendary status at Liverpool.
Salah joined Chelsea from Basel, but went on to play just 19 times for the Blues. The forward scored just twice for the Blues, which came in convincing Premier League victories against Arsenal and Stoke City.
Whilst at Stamford Bridge, he was sent on loan to Fiorentina and Roma. He then joined Roma permanently, and his form for the Serie A side earned him a move back to the Premier League with the Reds.
The Egyptian won two Premier League titles with the Reds and the Champions League. Chelsea fans will continue to wonder why he was never allowed to prove his talents at their club.
1. Kevin De Bruyne
Similar to Salah, Kevin De Bruyne had a brief spell at Chelsea before becoming a legend at another Premier League club. The Belgian signed for the Blues in 2012 from Genk. However, he played just nine times for Chelsea. He did not score for the club, but did make an assist in a 2-0 win over Hull City in the Premier League.
De Bruyne then barely played for Chelsea under Mourinho and was often used off the bench. Mourinho also doubted his defensive duties before he was sent on loan to Werder Bremen. The midfielder then secured a permanent move to the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg. His form for the German side led to a transfer to Manchester City.
He went on to win six Premier League titles with City and the Champions League. De Bruyne now plays for Napoli, where he is still producing some fine form. Mourinho is one of Chelsea's most successful managers, but spotting young talent early was not always his strongest suit.