With Enzo Fernandez the latest Argentine to step out in a Chelsea shirt, GOAL takes a look at the other Albiceleste stars to feature in west London.
Chelsea's £600 million ($723m) spending spree in 2022-23 was capped off with the £106.8m ($131m) signing of the 21-year-old midfielder, a British record fee.
Fernandez joined the Blues having spent less than half a year with Benfica, but with an impressive showing at the 2022 World Cup to his name, where he won the Young Player of the Tournament.
Chelsea's new No.5 impressed on his debut, and was one of the few high points in a drab 0-0 affair with local rivals Fulham.
Fernandez, then, has already shown promise, although many of his fellow countrymen haven't always enjoyed the same success during their time at Stamford Bridge.
With that in mind, GOAL takes a look at the Argentines to don the blue of Chelsea, as well as the one that got away…
GettyJuan Sebastian Veron
After breaking the then-British transfer record with his £28.1m ($33.9m) move to Manchester United in 2001, Juan Sebastian Veron made the trip south for almost half that amount two years later.
The Argentine became one of the first acquisitions of the Roman Abramovich era, signing for £15m ($18.1m) amid a season of promise for the Blues.
Despite a blistering start to the 2003-04 campaign with the opening goal in a 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, Veron's campaign was blighted by injury and he went on to make just 14 appearances for the club.
After just one season in west London and one goal to his name, the midfielder was sent to Inter on a two-year loan, with later listing the move in the top 50 worst transfers in the Premier League era.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesHernan Crespo
Chelsea welcomed Veron alongside compatriot Hernan Crespo, who signed for the Blues from Inter for a reported fee of £16.8m ($20.3m).
In his first season at the club, the Argentine made 31 appearances in all competitions and scored 12 goals, but was considered surplus to requirements following the arrival of Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2004.
The recent Champions League winner had overseen the signing of Didier Drogba from Marseille and consequently loaned Crespo to AC Milan, where he scored twice in their infamous Champions League final loss against Liverpool.
Crespo then returned to Chelsea for one more season as competition for the misfiring Drogba, but requested a return to Italy a year later, eventually joining Inter having racked up 25 goals in 73 appearances for the Blues.
Franco di Santo
18-year-old Franco di Santo signed in 2008 from Chilean side Audax Italiano with the promise of leading Chelsea's frontline for years to come.
Dubbed the "new Maradona" in his native Argentina as well as 'Crespito' after Chelsea's former No.9, Di Santo was highly regarded as one of the most promising young forwards of his generation.
However, he never really kicked on in west London, with most of his appearances coming for Chelsea's reserve team.
Di Santo played just eight times for the senior side with a return of no goals. He joined Blackburn Rovers on loan in 2009 before making a permanent move to Wigan Athletic a year later.
Getty ImagesWilly Caballero
Goalkeeper Willy Caballero joined reigning Premier League champions Chelsea in the summer of 2017 on a free transfer from Manchester City.
Caballero was best known for his penalty-saving abilities, prompting arguably his most memorable moment in a Chelsea shirt.
In the 2019-20 League Cup final against Manchester City, first-choice keeper and record signing Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted for Caballero, humiliating head coach Maurizio Sarri before Chelsea eventually lost the shoot-out 4-3.
Caballero joined Southampton in 2021 having made just 11 appearances for the Blues.
