Nicolas Anelka
Liverpool 2001 – 2002
Chelsea 2008 – 2012
One of the journeymen of the Premier League, Nicolas Anelka played for twelve different teams over 19 years as a footballer. Signed on loan in January 2002, Anelka scored five goals in 20 appearances, these goals came against Everton, Fulham, Blackburn and Ipswich and then Birmingham in the FA Cup. Despite contributing towards Liverpool’s push towards second place that season Gerard Houllier decided against offering a permanent deal meaning Anelka moved to Manchester City instead.
With a more successful career at Chelsea, Anelka joined off the back of an impressive run of form at Bolton. Despite missing the decisive penalty against Manchester United in the Champions League Anelka continued on to win the Premier League, the FA Cup twice and the Community Shield with the blues.
Boudewijn Zenden
Chelsea 2001 – 2004
Liverpool 2005 – 2007
The Dutchman didn’t have the greatest time at Chelsea, over his two year period the winger only featured 43 times, scoring four goals. Zenden did play in the 2002 FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal for the blues but injuries tarnished his time at Stamford Bridge.
Signed in 2005 by Rafa Benitez, the story was the same during his time at Liverpool. Injuries meant that he only played 23 times over a two year period, scoring twice. Zenden started as Liverpool won the Super Cup and recovered from a knee injury to be part of the 2006 FA Cup winning side.
Joe Cole
Chelsea 2003 – 2010
Liverpool 2010 – 2013
One of the first few signing of the Roman Abramovich era, Joe Cole spent seven years at Chelsea from 2003 – 2010. In this time he scored 28 goals, was named Chelsea player of the year in 2008 and won three Premier League winners medals, three FA Cup winners medals and two League Cup winners medals.
Joe Cole’s performances at Chelsea had Liverpool fans ecstatic about the prospect of signing the winger on a free, his debut didn’t go to plan with him seeing red at The Emirates and his whole Liverpool career panned out in a similar way. After his first season, Joe Cole was loaned out to Lille where his performances picked up; he was never able to find that level whilst playing for Liverpool and eventually left to return to his boyhood team.
Glen Johnson
Chelsea 2003 – 2007
Liverpool 2009 – 2015
Another early Abramovich signing, Glen Johnson made the same journey from West Ham to Chelsea as Joe Cole and Frank Lampard. Johnson failed to nail down a starting position in the team and 41 appearances in four years, picking up a Premier League and League Cup winners medal.
By the time Johnson signed for Liverpool he was one of the best right backs in the Premier League, his time at Portsmouth was enough to convince Liverpool to pay £18.5 million making him the most expensive right back in the Premier League at the time. Glen Johnson played in the 2012 League Cup victory over Cardiff and scored eight goals in 160 appearances for Liverpool.
Yossi Benayoun
Liverpool 2007 – 2010
Chelsea 2010 – 2013
Signed in the summer of 2007, he controversially backed out of a verbal agreement with West Ham to extend his contract so that he could join the reds. He made his debut against Toulouse in the Champions League qualifier 1st leg and scored his first goal against Reading in the League Cup that September. Most remembered for his 94th minute winner off the bench against Fulham, Benayoun scored 18 goals in 92 appearances for the club.
Sold to Chelsea for the same amount that he was bought for, Benayoun would feature in the 2012/13 Europa League winning squad. However his time at Chelsea was not a successful one, the Israeli would only play 14 times and was forced to go on loan to Arsenal and West Ham in pursuit of game time in his three years at the club.
Fernando Torres
Liverpool 2007 – 2011
Chelsea 2011 – 2015
One of the most controversial transfers in Liverpool history, Torres arrived from Atletico Madrid for £20 million and was an instant hit with the fans scoring on his Anfield debut in the 1-1 draw ironically against Chelsea. Over the next four years Torres captured the hearts of all Liverpool fans, he played a major part in the 2008/09 title challenge and was one of the quickest players to register 50 goals for the club. In 102 appearances Torres scored 65 league goals before breaking the British transfer record in his January deadline day move to Chelsea.
Whilst he won more silverware at the London club, his performances didn’t hit the heights that he managed at Liverpool. He won the FA Cup and Champions League in 2011/12, scoring that infamous goal to put Chelsea through against Barcelona; and won the Europa League under the guidance of old Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.
Raul Meireles
Liverpool 2010 – 2011
Chelsea 2011 – 2012
After six years at Porto, Liverpool signed the Portuguese midfielder for a fee of around £11.5 million, he made a slow start to his Liverpool career before hitting a run of form and scoring five goals in seven league appearances which included a stunning goals against Wolves.
Almost a year to the day that he signed for Liverpool, Meireles moved to Chelsea. Just like at his former club Meireles only spent one season in London before moving to Fenerbache in Turkey. He picked up a League Cup winners medal in 2011/12 at Liverpool and won the FA Cup and Champions League at Chelsea.
Daniel Sturridge
Chelsea 2009 – 2013
Liverpool 2013 – Present
The mature performances of a young Daniel Sturridge at Manchester City caught the eye of Chelsea and when the young strikers contract was expiring Chelsea agreed a four year contract with the player. Despite impressing whenever he played Sturridge was unable to keep a spot in the starting XI and when he did it would be on the wing. The striker went through four seasons of this scoring 13 goals before deciding to leave permanently to Liverpool.
What a revelation he was at his new club, Sturridge hit the ground running at Liverpool by scoring on his debut against Mansfield Town. Since then he has scored 48 league goals at the club in just 97 appearances and formed one part of the ‘SAS’ one of the most deadly Premier League striking partnerships in 2013/14. He scored 21 league goals in that season; second only to partner Suarez as Liverpool fell just short of their first Premier League title in 25 years.
Victor Moses
Chelsea 2012 – present
Liverpool (loan) 2013 – 2014
Also a Liverpool player during that barnstorming Premier League season, Moses started brightly with a debut goal at Swansea but ultimately failed to make an impact at the club.
Moses struggled for game time at Chelsea and found himself shipped off on loan to multiple clubs, the Nigerian winger found a new lease of life at right wing-back under Antonio Conte and played a major part in Chelsea’s run to the title last season.
