The best and worst Italian players to have ever played for Chelsea

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With Marco Palestra set to join Chelsea, here we take a look at previous Italian players who have played at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea‘s hijacking of Inter Milan’s deal to sign Atalanta wing-back Marco Palestra has given Xabi Alonso the perfect defender to build his team around.

A direct conversation with Alonso convinced the 21-year-old to choose Stamford Bridge, where he will sign a long-term contract on around £6 million per year.

Here we take a look at the five best Italian players to have played for Chelsea.

Roberto Di Matteo

A big-game midfielder who scored iconic Wembley goals, then later cemented immortality by stepping in as manager to deliver the club’s first-ever Champions League title in 2012.

Gianfranco Zola

The undisputed king. He didn’t just score 80 goals and win multiple trophies; his magic and sheer humility revolutionised the entire culture of English football in the late 90s.

Gianluca Vialli

A true icon who won the Champions League before arriving, he scored 40 goals and seamlessly transitioned into a legendary player-manager, lifting five major trophies in less than three years.

Carlo Cudicini

One of the finest shot-stoppers in Premier League history, Cudicini was voted Player of the Year in 2002 and remained a world-class professional for a decade.

Jorginho

He dictated the midfield tempo for 213 matches, anchored the 2021 Champions League triumph, and finished third in the Ballon d’Or.

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Now, we take a look at the five worst Italian players to have played for Chelsea.

Christian Panucci

Arriving with a world-class pedigree, the defender completely failed to settle in London, fell out with Claudio Ranieri almost immediately, and bolted after just 10 miserable appearances.

Pierluigi Casiraghi

A deeply tragic entry. Signed for a hefty fee in 1998, the striker suffered a catastrophic knee collision just a few months into his stint, undergoing ten surgeries before being forced into early retirement.

Davide Zappacosta

Despite scoring a bizarre, looping long-range cross on his debut, the £23 million full-back never looked comfortable or capable of cementing a regular starting role under Antonio Conte.

Fabio Borini

Arriving through the youth ranks with heavy hype as the next big Italian forward, he failed to make any first-team impact and left the club with zero goals after refusing a contract extension.

Marco Amelia

Brought in by Jose Mourinho on a free transfer as emergency goalkeeper cover, Amelia picked up a paycheck but left the club without ever playing a single minute of competitive football.