Frank Lampard is quickly building a reputation as a managerial firefighter.
The Englishman was appointed to keep Everton in the Premier League last season, and he's now returned to Chelsea to help them salvage something from their dismal campaign. The Blues are 11th in the table and have a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon. Winning the latter competition is Lampard's primary aim.
Although many fans will have forgotten, Chelsea were also in a bit of a pickle when Lampard was first appointed as their manager in July 2019. At the time, the Blues were under a transfer embargo and Lampard was forced to trust their youngsters - such as Tammy Abraham, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount.
So, despite coaching the Blues through three-and-a-bit transfer windows, Lampard only made seven signings during his first spell in charge. Here, Mirror Football takes a look at how each of those players have fared since they first referred to Lampard as 'gaffer'.
Hakim Ziyech
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Lampard finally made his first signing as Chelsea manager in February 2020, when a £36.6million deal was struck with Ajax for Ziyech. The winger needed to wait until the summer to finalise the move, but fans were expecting him to flourish at Stamford Bridge.
Ziyech was part of the Ajax squad that won a league and cup double during the 2018/19 campaign - scoring 21 goals in all competitions - but he struggled to replicate that form in England. He's only made 59 Premier League appearances to date in a bit-part role.
Ziyech almost joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan in January after inspiring Morocco to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar, but the move collapsed due to a problem with the paperwork. Now 30, he seems destined to leave Chelsea this summer.
Timo Werner
Chelsea fans were excited when Werner completed a £50m from RB Leipzig in June 2020. The Germany international scored 34 club goals during the 2019/20 campaign to become one of Europe's most exciting strikers, with several clubs after his signature.
Yet Werner failed to replicate that form at Stamford Bridge, finding the net just 23 times during a two-year spell. The 27-year-old returned to Leipzig in a £25m deal last summer and has scored 14 goals to date, which suggests his career is on the up again.
Ben Chilwell
The Blues paid Leicester £45m to bring Chilwell to Stamford Bridge in August 2020. At 23, it seemed as if the left-back would spend the next decade fulfilling that role at Stamford Bridge. Yet Chilwell has endured an indifferent time since the transfer.
The England international played 42 games during his first season but a serious knee injury forced him to miss much of the following campaign. Chelsea then signed Marc Cucurella last summer, leaving Chilwell battling the Spaniard for a spot in the starting XI.
Cucurella is a left-back by trade, although he can play at centre-back. Chilwell is still highly regarded by Chelsea fans, but it's time for him to a have a solid run of games.
Malang Sarr
Chelsea signed Sarr from Lille on a free transfer in August 2020, yet he hasn't played much since. He joined Porto on a season-long loan two months after singing for the Blues.
Sarr was part of Thomas Tuchel's squad for the 2021/22 campaign but featured just 21 times in all competitions. Now 24, the back-up defender was sent out on loan again to Monaco last summer and doesn't seem to have much of a future at Stamford Bridge.
Thiago Silva
Chelsea raised eyebrows when the veteran defender was signed from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. Yet it proved to be a masterstroke by Lampard and his recruitment team, as Silva has been at the heart of Chelsea's defence ever since.
The Brazil international, who turns 39 in September, has gone on to play 109 games for Chelsea. He's currently nursing a knee injury but is expected to be back in action soon, much to the delight of Lampard. The centre-back even signed a new deal in February.
Lampard's predecessor Graham Potter said, "[I am] delighted to hear the news of Thiago extending. Fantastic player, fantastic person, for us very important on the pitch, very important off the pitch... So well deserved and good news for us all."
Kai Havertz
Havertz was one of Europe's most exciting youngsters when Chelsea paid £71m to sign him from Bayer Leverkusen in September 2020. Although he scored the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City, the move hasn't gone to plan.
Often deployed as a false No.9, Havertz has scored just 32 club goals since this move. The German has plenty of ability, but his huge price tag will weigh heavy on his shoulders until he his statistics start to improve. Quite simply, Chelsea expect more from him.
Edouard Mendy
Lampard's most recent signing as Chelsea manager came in September 2020, when Edouard Mendy arrived from Rennes. It marked a remarkable rise for the 28-year-old, who was looking for jobs outside of football before being handed a lifeline by Marseille in 2015.
Mendy proved to be a huge coup for the Blues, as he played a crucial role during his first two seasons at the club. The Senegal international, who inspired his country to Africa Cup of Nations glory in February 2022, has struggled for minutes this season due to lack of form and a broken finger. Yet at just £22m, he's still been an absolute bargain.
Joe Cole said in October 2021, "Chelsea have gone up a level since Mendy's come in, the shot-stopping is excellent... Some of these saves are incredible. He's agile, he's good with the ball at his feet. He is to Chelsea what Alisson has been to Liverpool."
