Can Delap beat the Chelsea number nine curse?

Liam Delap has reportedly taken on the number nine shirt at Chelsea following his £30m transfer. This is an iconic number for any forward, but at Chelsea, it comes with a history of struggles for many who have worn it in the Premier League era. Numerous big names have failed to live up to expectations while sporting the number nine at Stamford Bridge. The question is, can Delap be the one to finally break this `curse`?

We`ve reviewed and rated every player who has worn the number nine for Chelsea in the Premier League:

Rating Every Chelsea Number Nine of the Premier League Era

Tony Cascarino

Tony Cascarino was the first player to wear the nine for Chelsea in the Premier League, starting from the 1993/94 season when squad numbers were introduced. His career at the club was hampered by injuries and never really took off. He scored just four goals that season before leaving for Marseille as a free agent.

Verdict: Miss

Mark Stein

Mark Stein inherited the shirt after setting a Premier League record of scoring in seven consecutive games the previous season. He netted 11 goals in all competitions during the 1994/95 campaign but soon fell out of favour as new, high-profile players arrived. Stein finished his Chelsea career with 25 goals in 63 appearances.

Verdict: OK

Gianluca Vialli

A significant acquisition, Chelsea signed Juventus` Champions League-winning captain, Gianluca Vialli, in 1996.

The late Italian quickly became a fan favourite, combining tenacity with genuine attacking quality. Vialli scored 40 goals in 78 games for Chelsea and transitioned into a player-manager role just 18 months after joining.

He led the club to FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup triumphs during a memorable spell at Stamford Bridge.

Verdict: Hit

Chris Sutton

Chris Sutton arrived at Chelsea in 1999 with a Premier League winner`s medal and a Golden Boot already to his name, but his time with the Blues was difficult. Signed for £10m, the former Blackburn striker managed just one league goal in a disappointing single season before moving to Celtic for a reduced fee.

Former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates was blunt about the transfer after Sutton`s departure, describing the signing as a `disaster`.

Bates stated, “There is no escaping the fact Sutton was a disaster. His attitude wasn’t right towards the end. He wasn’t good for Chelsea. He became anxious after missing two open goals against Sunderland on his debut. But he’s done well to go to Celtic. It’s an easier league and he showed that by getting a goal early on.”

Verdict: Miss

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Chelsea matched the Premier League transfer record to sign Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, remarkably joining after being relegated with Atletico Madrid despite scoring 33 goals in all competitions.

The ex-Leeds United forward made an immediate impact back in England, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in his first season at Chelsea – his second Golden Boot award. He is one of only three players to have won the award for different clubs. Hasselbaink`s powerful striking ability was a constant threat, and he netted 87 goals in 177 appearances for Chelsea over four seasons.

Verdict: Hit

Mateja Kezman

Mateja Kezman arrived at Chelsea in 2004 alongside Arjen Robben, having formed a formidable partnership at PSV Eindhoven dubbed ‘Batman and Robben’. While Robben thrived at Chelsea, Kezman struggled.

He had an incredible record of 105 goals in just 122 league games for PSV and won three Eredivisie Golden Boots, but he could only manage four league goals during the 2004/05 season. A goal in the League Cup final win against Liverpool was a rare high point before he was sold to Atletico Madrid after only a year.

Verdict: Miss

Hernan Crespo

Often remembered unfairly. Hernan Crespo joined Chelsea during Roman Abramovich`s first summer spending spree. Just three years prior, the Argentine had been the world`s most expensive player, though he didn`t quite reach those heights again.

Nevertheless, he scored double figures for Premier League goals in both of his seasons at Chelsea, separated by a loan spell at AC Milan.

Verdict: OK

Khalid Boulahrouz

The less said, the better. Assigning the number nine shirt to a defender who was only used occasionally is widely considered a major gaffe.

Verdict: Miss

Steve Sidwell

Another puzzling choice for the number nine shirt. The midfielder was given the number after joining from Reading as a free agent. Sidwell spent just one season at Chelsea before moving to Aston Villa.

Verdict: Miss

Franco Di Santo

In 2008, Chelsea hoped Franco Di Santo would develop into their long-term main striker, but the Argentinian forward didn`t progress as expected. He failed to score in eight league appearances before being sold to Wigan Athletic.

Verdict: Miss

Fernando Torres

Similar to Crespo, Torres is often unfairly labelled a flop.

While he didn`t replicate his explosive Liverpool form at Chelsea after his British record £50m move in January 2011, he had significant contributions. Most notably, he scored a crucial goal in the Champions League semi-final at Barcelona en route to Chelsea`s first Champions League title. The following season, he scored nine European goals as Chelsea won the Europa League.

His record of 45 goals in 172 appearances isn`t elite, but it`s better than many remember.

Verdict: OK

Radamel Falcao

After seeing Radamel Falcao struggle during a loan spell at Manchester United, Chelsea apparently believed they could help him rediscover his best form. His time in West London was even less successful, scoring only once in 12 games despite receiving substantial wages.

`El Tigre` found his form again after returning to Monaco, but he was more like `El Kitten` during his stint in England.

Verdict: Miss

Alvaro Morata

Alvaro Morata actually began his Chelsea career strongly following his £60m arrival from Real Madrid. The Spanish forward hit 10 Premier League goals by Boxing Day, but his form then declined sharply. Morata reportedly struggled with the criticism he faced in England and was loaned to Atletico Madrid midway through his second season. He scored 24 goals in 75 games for Chelsea.

Verdict: Miss

Gonzalo Higuain

Another high-profile loan signing who failed to meet expectations. Gonzalo Higuain joined Chelsea on loan from Juventus in January 2019, reuniting with former Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri. He contributed to the team winning the Europa League but scored only five times in his six-month spell.

Verdict: Miss

Tammy Abraham

Facing a transfer ban in his first season, Frank Lampard turned to the academy. Reece James, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, and Tammy Abraham were all successfully integrated into the first team.

Abraham finished as Chelsea`s top scorer in 2019/20 with 18 goals across all competitions and was a joint-leading scorer the following season. He moved to Roma in a £34m deal after falling out of favour, leaving with a respectable record of 30 goals in 82 appearances.

Verdict: OK

Romelu Lukaku

When Romelu Lukaku returned to Chelsea in a massive £97.5m deal, it seemed like the ideal fit. Few strikers in Europe had better scoring records, and the powerful Belgian had a proven track record in the Premier League.

Instead, his return was a disaster. He scored only eight league goals and alienated the fanbase with a controversial interview expressing his desire to return to Inter Milan, where he subsequently went on loan.

Verdict: Miss

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

A short-term solution that provided little impact. Chelsea brought the former Arsenal striker back to the Premier League from Barcelona in a £12m deal in 2022. He scored just three times before eventually leaving for Marseille.

Verdict: Miss