DIDIER DROGBA

DIDIER DROGBA
Pace allied to strength and aerial power made Didier the type of forward not seen at Stamford Bridge for quite a while on his arrival and the ingredients all came together to create a memorable 2006/7 season.

His 33 goals, containing many Goal of the Season contenders, made him Chelsea's highest scorer since Kerry Dixon in the 1984/85 season. His 20 in the league won the Premiership Golden Boot. His 60 games tally was the second highest appearances in a season in the club's history.

He delivered on the big occasions, scoring both goals in the 2-1 Carling Cup Final defeat over Arsenal, netting home and away against Barcelona, and becoming the first African to score in an FA Cup Final with his extra-time winner over Man United.

Didier was signed in the summer of 2004 from Marseille where he had been named France's Player of the Year. A reported fee of £24 million was paid.

Didier captained Ivory Coast in their maiden World Cup Finals in 2006 and as the African Player of the Year, he has become Chelsea's all-time highest scoring international. Last season he signed a new deal to keep him at the club until 2010.

ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO

ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO
Not since Ruud Gullit in 1995 have Chelsea signed a name so admired throughout the world of soccer. It was a sign of changed times that a player like Andriy could be prised away from a club like AC Milan at his very peak.

The then 29 year-old signed before the 2006 World Cup for an undisclosed Chelsea record fee but the goals did not flow at the rate expected. Andriy ended his first English season with 14 in total, four in the league, although there were some stunners amongst them, not least at White Hart Lane in an FA Cup replay.

The 2005/6 season saw milestones passed. He became Milan's second all-time topscorer and a goal against Lyon in the Champions League quarter-finals made it 52 goals in 90 games in that competition, a record including qualification games.

In total he scored 173 times for Milan in 296 games. The pedigree is unquestioned.

PETR CECH

PETR CECH
A new arrival in the summer of 2004 who at £7 million cost more than all the past goalkeepers in Chelsea history combined, Petr was bought to boost that department of the squad and provide serious and healthy competition to Carlo Cudicini.

He immediately caught the eye with his height, incredible reaction speed and confidence in leaving his goal-line and began his Chelsea career as first choice.

A clean-sheet laden first season at Stamford Bridge was statistically the most accomplished by any Chelsea keeper.

A run of 1,024 minutes without conceding a goal between December and March set a new English top flight record.

A dreadful collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt in October 2006 left Petr with a fractured skull and requiring immediate surgery, 30 stitches and much rest. That his season would resume so soon and end so well with two cup final wins, no-one would have predicted at the time.

Frighteningly for the opposition, he has well over a decade ahead to further improve!

JOHN TERRY

JOHN TERRY
Chelsea to the core and a true hero to the fans, John is the most successful captain in Chelsea history, he is skipper of his country and in many eyes, he's the best central defender currently in action.

As brave as they come and a superb reader of the game, sound technique and distribution make him more than just a defenders' defender.

Born in east London, John has been with Chelsea since the age of 14 when he was initially a medium-build midfielder. Filling in as youth team center-back one day due to a lack of alternatives, he has never looked back, aided by a rapid growth in physical stature.

With the Carling Cup also lifted, John became one of only four Chelsea captains to lead the club to major honours and he more than played his part on the pitch in 2004/5 with a succession of world class displays and eight crucial goals.

He was voted PFA Player of the Year by his fellow professionals, the first Chelsea winner of the accolade.

Chelsea's first homegrown to be capped by England since Ray Wilkins in the mid 70s has now proudly become our first England skipper of the professional age.

HENRIQUE HILARIO

HENRIQUE HILARIO

A new third choice keeper was needed when young Lenny Pidgeley moved on in the summer of 2006. Experience was chosen.

Hilário, 30-years-old, agreed to join the Portuguese contingent at Stamford Bridge as a support player, having come to the end of a contract at Nacional, a top flight club in his homeland.

Previously, the former Under 21 international played two spells at Porto where he was a part of domestic league and cup wins. The second spell was under José Mourinho before leaving for Nacional to gain more first team games.

Neither could have guessed what awaited so early in the keeper's first Chelsea year. Head injures to Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini in the same game meant Hilário's Chelsea debut came in the Champions League against European champions Barcelona. He kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.

By the end of the campaign, Hilário had played 18 games and fulfilled all that was expected of a number three choice thrust unexpectedly into the spotlight.

JULIANO BELLETTI

JULIANO BELLETTI
Juliano Belletti signed a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge on the 23rd August 2007. The right-back moved from FC Barcelona for an undisclosed fee.

Belletti said on joining : 'It has all been a great surprise,' he said. 'Just yesterday I talked with Chelsea. We reached an agreement and so did Chelsea and Barcelona with no problem.

'I am a typical Brazilian full-back,' he added. 'I like to get forward up the wing.'

The 31-year-old is most famous for scoring the winning goal in the 2006 Champions League Final against Arsenal when he came on as a second-half substitute. It was his first goal for Barcelona.

He was signed by the Catalan giants in 2004 from Villarreal, having moved from his native Brazil to Spain two years earlier. At Villarreal he was a UEFA Cup semi-finalist.

In his first season at Barça he played in both legs of the epic Champions League knockout tie between Chelsea and Barcelona when José Mourinho's side went through with a 4-2 second-leg win at Stamford Bridge.

ALEX

ALEX
Chelsea's most recent signing joined on the eve of the new Premier League season after three years playing in Holland at PSV Eindhoven. Chelsea held the first option to sign him when he left.

The 25-year-old Brazilian international defender put his signature to a three-year deal and along with Tal Ben-Haim is an important reinforcement in a rearguard that had been holed badly by injuries the previous campaign.

Prior to PSV, Alex played in his homeland at Santos, the São Paulo club made famous around the globe by Pelé.

After moving to Europe, the young player was part of a side that won three consecutive Dutch league titles with a domestic double completed in 2004-5. In the Champions League last season he made the headlines by heading the goal that knocked Arsenal out at the first knockout stage.

Having made his international debut in 2003, he was part of the Brazil side that won the 2007 Copa América in the summer, playing in the 3-0 defeat of Argentina in the Final, his 14th cap. He made his Chelsea debut away to Liverpool in the third game of the season.

SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS

SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS

With flying wide players key to Chelsea's Championship success in 2004/5, Shaun had originally been bought 2005 as reinforcements in the winger department - but it was as a right-sided player in a midfield diamond that he rediscovered the form that had first marked him down as one of the most exciting young talents in English soccer.

Back on song, in the second half of the 2006/7 season he weighed in with some important assists and goals, among them two high quality strikes at Upton Park.

The youngster showed versatility at Man City; attacking on either flank, playing as a striker and even as wing-back.

Arriving at Chelsea a twisting, turning bag of tricks with a thunderous shot, Shaun was soon declared by his new team-mates to be the fastest sprinter at the club.

He made his Chelsea Premiership debut off the bench against Wigan in August and has established himself as a regular choice for one of the wing places.

CARLO CUDICINI

CARLO CUDICINI
Chelsea's undisputed first choice keeper between 2002 and 2004, Carlo was many people's pick of the Premiership goalies during that time thanks to super-sharp reflexes, speed off his line, ability with his feet and penalty-stopping excellence.

However the arrival of Petr Cech in the summer of 2004 meant stiff competition between the posts and Carlo has become second choice. He was especially unfortunate during last season when his own injury difficulties coincided with much of Cech's three-month absence.

A bargain £160,000 buy by Gianluca Vialli, Carlo built his reputation in England having been knocked back by injury in his homeland.

He was voted Chelsea's Player of the Year for the 2001/2 season and was sorely missed during spells out with injury the following campaign.

It was little wonder then that Chelsea bolstered the goalkeeping stock with Cech in the summer of 2004. But Carlo signed a contract extension to 2009 to stay and fight for his place. Only John Terry has been at Chelsea longer

TAL BEN-HAIM

TAL BEN-HAIM
One of three free transfer additions to the squad this summer, Tal is an Israel international defender who is well-adapted to the Premier League having spent three seasons at consistently upper table Bolton.

His versatility in defence and aerial ability won 110 appearances with the Lancashire club where he played both right- and left-back in addition to his more accustomed central defensive role. He was a regular in Bolton's UEFA Cup campaign two seasons ago during which he was captain against Besiktas.

Previously Tal played for Maccabi Tel Aviv in his homeland and he had made 22 appearances for the Israeli national team by the time of his signing for Chelsea.

He completed a memorable close season by getting married just a couple of days after putting pen to his new contract.