Joao Felix and 5 other top-rated Portuguese stars who have signed for Chelsea
Chelsea have completed the signing of highly-rated Portuguese international Joao Felix on loan from Spanish club Atletico Madrid.
The 23-year-old forward will play the remainder of the 2022-23 football campaign with the Blues, following a frustrating first half of the season at Atletico.
The youngster played 650 minutes of La Liga action this season and wasn't a regular under Diego Simeone.
Now at Chelsea, Felix will join a growing list of top-rated Portuguese veterans who have played for the West London club in history.
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Without further ado, this article will look at five top-rated Portuguese players who had previously signed for the Blues before Felix.
#5 Ricardo Quaresma
Although his time at Stamford Bridge wasn't quite successful, Ricardo Quaresma is arguably one of the most prominent Portuguese footballers to play for Chelsea.
The Portuguese winger joined the Blues in February 2009 from Italian giants Inter Milan on a short-term loan for the remainder of the season.
Hard to believe Ricardo Quaresma once played for Chelsea but he did in 2009. https://t.co/nBpiu4iDgF
Quaresma, however, failed to live up to his potential in a blue shirt. He made a total of five appearances and provided just one assist, which came in the FA Cup against Coventry City.
#4 Ricardo Carvalho
Another top-rated Portuguese football star who has signed for the Blues in history is veteran defender Ricardo Carvalho.
The retired Portuguese international is regarded as one of Chelsea's greatest defenders of the modern era.
Carvalho signed for the Blues from Porto in the summer of 2004 for a transfer fee in the region of £20 million. He was among a couple of Portuguese players brought in by then-manager Jose Mourinho.
The highly rated centre-back went on to spend six seasons with the Blues, making well up to 210 appearances and scoring 11 goals.
Chelsea legends!!!! @JohnTerry26 @PetrCech & Ricardo Carvalho 💙 https://t.co/1USFTH4zfa
Carvalho formed a solid defensive partnership with Blues legend John Terry. He also went on to win a couple of trophies with Chelsea, which included three Premier League titles.
#3 Jose Bosingwa
Most Chelsea fans will probably still remember Portuguese right-back Jose Bosingwa. He spent four seasons with the Blues before leaving for Queens Park Rangers in 2012.
The defender is known for his pace, strength, and attacking ability that made him a threat to any opposing team.
🗣 Jose Bosingwa:
"My best friend at Chelsea was Ricardo Carvalho, and I still speak to Didier, but Salomon Kalou was the best person I met in football. Everybody liked him — a funny, friendly person, always smiling."
#CFC https://t.co/h8VywNSkxp
Bosingwa joined the West London club from Porto in the summer of 2008 for a transfer fee in the region of £16.3 million. He made a combined total of 126 appearances for the Blues, registering three goals and 11 assists.
The Portuguese was part of the famous Chelsea squad that won their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy in Munich in 2012.
#2 Raul Meireles
The retired Portuguese international joined Chelsea on loan from Premier League rivals Liverpool in the summer of 2011. His transfer fee was reportedly within the region of £12 million.
Raul Meireles spent just one full season with the Blues before joining Turkish side Fenerbahçe for £8 million in September 2012.
Raul Meireles nets for Chelsea back in 2012 
🔵 Raul Meireles nets for Chelsea back in 2012 ⚽️
#UCL | #OTD | @ChelseaFC https://t.co/jM8qzACDtc
The aggressive midfielder, however, played a key role in the Blues lifting their first-ever UEFA Champions League title. He made 48 appearances for the Blues, scoring six goals and six assists.
#1 Deco
Regarding career accomplishments, Porto and Barcelona legend Deco is arguably one of the highest-rated Portuguese footballers to sign for Chelsea in history.
The now-retired football star is considered by many to be one of the most technically gifted midfielders of his generation. He made a huge part of his name during his time at Porto and Barcelona.
Deco, however, had a brief spell in the Premier League when he signed for the Blues in the summer of 2008. He joined from Spanish giants Barcelona for a transfer fee in the region of £8 million.
Felix: “Chelsea players that I can remember, I can say Portuguese players, Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Meireles, but there are others not Portuguese that I like too like Hazard & Frank Lampard. Drogba. [chelseafc] #cfc 🇵🇹🔵 https://t.co/TAKFKNYEg7
His time in west London wasn't quite as successful as he had already passed his prime. He made 58 appearances for the Blues, scoring six goals and providing five assists.