John Terry expected Chelsea to ‘absolutely dominate’ after record-breaking deadline day signing, he was completely wrong

Add as preferred source on Google

Deadline day of the 2025 January transfer window proved to be a relatively quiet affair as far as signings go in comparison to prior years.

The Blues completed a deal to sign young midfielder Mathis Amoghou, a player who looks set for a loan move before he can make a real impact at Stamford Bridge.

Many were hoping for a big name to come in and help Enzo Maresca, with the Blues looking over their shoulder at sides challenging them for a top four finish.

In years gone by, Chelsea have made a variety of big deals late in January in an attempt to transform their fortunes.

• READ MORE: Four mistakes Chelsea chiefs made in January transfer window including Joao Felix loan deal

John Terry thought Chelsea would ‘dominate’ after signing Fernando Torres

One of those occurred 14 years ago, when Fernando Torres made the controversial switch from Liverpool for a British transfer record fee at the time.

There was plenty of excitement over the addition of the Spaniard, who had enjoyed a very successful run of games against the Blues.

One Chelsea figure who was more excited than most was club captain, John Terry. The England international had some rough experiences up against the striker at Anfield in the past.

Terry told Sky Sports that they had the faith they could dominate the Premier League and Europe for years to come.

He said: “From a Chelsea point of view, I hated playing against him. He always seemed to score. He was always that one player that Roman would ask about. Yossi [Benayoun] was close to him, and he told us ‘Lads, Fernando’s on his way’.

“We were like ‘no way’. We’re going to absolutely dominate the Premier League and Europe for the next five years.

“We had three unbelievable strikers and we were trying to fit them all together. We had enough firepower in Didier and Anelka, but it just seemed after that game [his debut against Liverpool] his confidence was shot.”

Chelsea finished second in the Premier League this season, nine points behind eventual winners Manchester United.

It wouldn’t be until 2015 when the Blues lifted the trophy again. By this point, Torres had played his last game as a Chelsea player.

Fernando Torres’s nightmare spell at Chelsea

Torres ended up playing 172 games for Chelsea in all competitions, more than he managed during his time at Anfield.

However, he was unable to recapture his goalscoring prowess in a Blue shirt. His top scoring campaign in the Premier League saw him notch up just eight goals.

The Spaniard certainly scored some big goals. His last-minute strike against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final will always be historic for the club.

However, he is largely seen as one of the biggest wastes of money spent by the club in recent history, and perhaps a case study for the current Blues owners as to why to avoid panic buys on deadline day.