Ranking Chelsea's 5 best transfer windows

#4 The Italian Revolution (1996-1997)

Gianfranco Zola mesmerized the crowds for seasons to come

With Ruud Gullit at the helm, Chelsea became an attractive destination for foreigners who wanted to play in the English League.

Roberto Di Matteo signed up for a then club record fee of £4.9 million. Gianluca Vialli, who was a Sampdoria and Juventus legend by then, moved to London in a free transfer. The winter window saw Chelsea break their transfer record again to bring in Gianfranco Zola for £5.58 million.

Needless to say, the three of them went on to become Chelsea legends in many ways. Vialli managed Chelsea to a historic treble in 1998.

Di Matteo won Chelsea its first ever UEFA Champions League title - something Roman Abramovic craved for since buying the club in 2003. And Zola mesmerized the Stamford Bridge crowd for years with his magical feet and ever-positive presence.

Another signing that doesn't get the spotlight it deserves is that of the Frenchman Frank Leboeuf. He made the centre-back position his own and had his best years at Chelsea both domestically and Internationally, his highest point being the 1998 World Cup win with France.