The 2025/26 season has been a nightmare for Chelsea fans. Enzo Maresca’s side sits fifth in the Premier League as of February 8, 2026, but the real pain isn’t the league position. It’s seeing former players thrive against them. Football is often ironic, but early 2026 feels like a targeted hit from the club’s past. We have watched old heroes and expensive flops return to haunt the Blues, making life miserable for the club in the worst way possible.
4 Ex-Chelsea stars who have humiliated the club in 2026
Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
Nothing hurts more than a Champions League hero joining a rival. On February 3, 2026, Kai Havertz broke Chelsea hearts again by slipping past the defence in the 98th minute. The Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates was on the line, and he didn’t just score, he beat Robert Sánchez with total calm before tapping the ball into an empty net.
This gave Arsenal a 1-0 win and a 4-2 aggregate victory. Now that Arsenal are going to Wembley, Havertz isn’t hiding his joy. That goal killed Chelsea‘s best chance at a trophy this year and proves Havertz is now a true leader for the Gunners.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (Arsenal)
Havertz scored the goal, but Kepa Arrizabalaga stopped everything else. Chelsea once paid £72m for the world’s most expensive keeper, yet in that same semi-final, he played for the opposition. He moved to London on a surprise loan after David Raya was injured, and on Tuesday night, he completely frustrated his former club.
He saved a long shot from Enzo Fernández in the first half and controlled his area with a confidence he rarely showed at Chelsea. Seeing the club’s record signing keep a clean sheet against them is embarrassing, but watching him do it in an Arsenal shirt to knock them out of a cup is even worse.
Conor Gallagher (Tottenham Hotspur)
This move still feels wrong. Seeing Conor Gallagher in a Tottenham shirt is hard to believe, but it became a reality in the January 2026 window. The academy graduate spent six months at Atlético Madrid before returning to England, though he didn’t come back to the Bridge.
Spurs moved fast and paid £40m for the tireless midfielder. Gallagher has been incredible for Thomas Frank’s team since then, bringing the exact energy that Chelsea are currently missing. He was the man of the match against Manchester City last week and is showing everyone exactly what the Blues gave up.
Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
While Gallagher runs the midfield, Dominic Solanke is scoring the goals. Chelsea let him go years ago, and now he is one of the best finishers in the league. Solanke’s strength and scoring have pushed the Spurs.
He recently scored a scorpion kick against Manchester City, showing a level of confidence that Chelsea’s current strikers just don’t have. Every time he scores for Tottenham, it reminds fans of the talent Chelsea lost and makes the billions spent on replacements look like a waste.
