Chelsea's 2016/17 title winners: Where are they now?
Antonio Conte with the Premier League trophy (Image by Michael Regan via Getty Images)
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Antonio Conte returned the Premier League title to Stamford Bridge in 2016/17, winning 30 games and achieving 93 points on their way to the title.

As the Blues prepare for life under another Italian manager in Enzo Maresca, let's take a look back at the squad that won Conte the title in 2016/17.

After a successful multi-year loan spell at Atletico Madrid, Courtois returned to Stamford Bridge under Jose Mourinho in the 2014/15 Premier League title winning season, playing 32 times and displacing veteran 'keeper Petr Cech.

The Belgian stopper missed just two Premier League games in 2016/17, becoming a pivotal cog in Antonio Conte's Premier League winners, becoming a second winner in just three years at Chelsea.

The following campaign would be Courtois' last season at Chelsea, moving on to Real Madrid in La Liga, eventually winning the Champions League with what is regarded as one of the finest goalkeeping displays of all time in the 2021/22 final.

Begovic made just two Premier League appearances during the 2016/17 season, firstly in a 2-0 loss at Old Trafford, and his final appearance was in a 4-3 victory against Watford.

Unlike Courtois, Begovic has been to many clubs following his depature from West London, playing for Bournemouth, Qarabag, AC Milan, Everton, and most recently returned to the capital to play for Queens Park Rangers.

The 37-year-old was pictured training with Aldershot over the summer, but as of the time of writing is a free agent.

  • David Luiz: Flamengo

David Luiz's original spell at Stamford Bridge began in 2011, joining the Blues from Benfica in the January transfer window during the 2010/11 season, scoring his first goal against Manchester United.

Luiz would swap London for Paris when he joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2014, but re-joined the Blues for the 2016/17 season. He went on to play 33 times as Chelsea won the Premier League.

The Brazilian swapped his London blue for red in 2019/20, switching to the Emirates to join Arsenal, but his stay in North London came to an end in 2021 when he returned to Brazil to join Flamengo.

Cesar Azpilicueta, much like most of his time at Chelsea, was "Mr. Reliable" for Conte during the 2016/17 season, playing all 38 games in the Premier League.

The Spaniard joined the Blues following their maiden Champions League win in 2012 from Marseille, and went on to play over 500 games for the club, becoming captain in 2019/20 and winning the Champions League as captain in 2020/21.

His time to Stamford Bridge came to an end in 2023, and Cesar "Dave" Azpilicueta left England for Spain, where he currently plays for Atletico Madrid.

  • John Terry: Retired

From one great Chelsea captain to arguably the greatest of all time, John Terry was the official club captain during the 2016/17 season, but only made nine appearances for the Blues in the Premier League.

This season was to be Terry's last at Chelsea, leaving the club after 20 years, making 717 appearances. In almost poetic fashion, Terry joined Aston Villa, whom his first Chelsea appearance had come against in 1998, playing one season for the Villans before retiring.

Since retirement, Terry has been a coach at Aston Villa, Leicester and the Chelsea Academy, where he currently coaches.

  • Gary Cahill: Retired 

A product of Aston Villa's academy, Gary Cahill had loan spells at Burnley and Sheffield United in the early stages of his career, eventually switching permanently to Bolton in 2008.

He became a Blue in January 2012, and went on to play 290 times for Chelsea, and for much of the 2016/17 season, assumed the captains armband in the absence of John Terry. 

Cahill left Chelsea for Crystal Palace in 2019, and from there joined Bournemouth in 2021, before hanging up the boots in 2022 following his departure from the Cherries.

One of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League was once a victim of Chelsea's endless loan system. Ake was loaned to Reading, Watford and Bournemouth.

His loan spell at Bournemouth ended in January of the 16/17 season, and the Dutch defender went on to make two Premier League appearances for Conte's side before returning to Bournemouth permanently in the summer of 2017.

After three impressive seasons at the Vitality, Ake switched to the Etihad and joined Manchester City, where he has remained, going on to win everything in club football under Pep Guardiola.

French defender Zouma joined Chelsea in 2014 from Saint-Etienne, and prior to an injury against Manchester United in 2015/16, looked as though he was ready to nail down the centre-back position for Chelsea.

He made nine appearances in the Premier League for Chelsea during the 2016/17 season, but was loaned to Stoke the following season, and then Everton the season after.

Frank Lampard's arrival at Chelsea offered a new start for Zouma, but after Lampard's departure and Thomas Tuchel's arrival, Zouma was allowed to join West Ham in 2021. However, a squad overhaul at the London Stadium means Zouma appears to be on his way out of England this summer.

  • Marcos Alonso: Free agent

One of the most iconic images in Chelsea's history comes from Marcos Alonso being subbed on at the Emirates, as Chelsea trailed 3-0. Alonso was seen signaling the change to a back three, a change that eventually won Chelsea the Premier League.

Alonso, along with Victor Moses formed one of the most formidable wingback pairings the Premier League has seen during the 2016/17 season, scoring six times and providing three assists in 33 games from the left of Conte's back five.

The Spaniard remained at Stamford Bridge until 2022, often splitting opinion. However, with an ability to strike a ball, that made him one of the finest Chelsea have seen from a defender. 

Alonso joined Barcelona from Chelsea in 2022, but has since left the club and remains a free agent.

  • Victor Moses: Free agent

The term "streets won't forget" is banded about a lot, but Victor Moses' 2016/17 season barely gets the recognition it deserves in regards to this category. Moses played 33 times in 16/17, and down the right was a force to be reckoned with.

The Crystal Palace academy graduate joined Chelsea from Wigan in 2012, but struggled to make a real impact, going out on loan to Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham before the arrival of Conte. 

Conte became an admirer of Moses, bringing him on loan to Inter Milan from Chelsea in 2020. The Nigerian international left Chelsea for Spartak Moscow in 2021, but as of this summer, Moses is without a club.

Now of Nottingham Forest, Ola Aina played three times in the Premier League for Conte during the 2016/17 season. Unfortunately for Aina, his most prolific Chelsea days came in the academy but he was unable to make an impact at the Blues.

The 27-year-old went on to play on loan for Hull and Torino, and joined the Italian side permanently in 2019. Aina spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Fulham, before joining Nottingham Forest in 2023 on a free transfer.

  • Branislav Ivanovic: Retired

Serbian defender Ivanovic joined the Blues in 2008, and scored one of the most important goals in the history of the club as his 93rd minute winner won Chelsea the 2013 Europa League.

Ivanovic played 13 times during the first half of the 2016/17 Premier League season, but left for Russian side Zenit in the winter transfer window.

The 40-year-old did return to England, ending his career with West Brom, coming off the bench for the Baggies in their 5-2 thumping of the Blues in 20/21, before later coming off injured. He retired at the end of that season.

  • N'Golo Kante: Al-Ittihad

The 2016/17 PFA Player of the Year, N'Golo Kante, won consecutive Premier League titles, firstly with Leicester City in 2016 and then Chelsea in 2017. In fact, in Kante's first two seasons in England, he was champion in both.

He joined the Foxes ahead of the 2015/16 season, but his time at Chelsea cemented him as one of the greats of this generation of midfielders. His performance across Chelsea's second Champions League win was nothing short of superhuman, winning the Man of the Match award in the final.

Unfortunately for Kante, injuries plagued the end of his Chelsea career, joining Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023. But, if rumours are to be believed, a return to England could be on the cards this summer.

  • Cesc Fabregas: Retired

Despite playing for Barcelona and Chelsea, Fabregas never won himself the Champions League. However, he should be able to cope having won the Premier League, La Liga, World Cup and Euros.

Fabregas began life at La Masia, but joined Arsenal's academy in 2003, before breaking through to the first team in 2004, playing for the Gunners until 2011, when he returned to Barcelona.

The Spaniard joined Chelsea in 2014 and provided one of the finest assists ever seen to Andre Schurrle away to Burnley at the start of the 2014/15 season. He remained at Chelsea until 2019, joining Monaco, and then Como in 2023, where he retired and became a manager.

  • Nemanja Matic: Lyon

Matic and Kante formed a fantastic pivot for Conte over the course of the 2016/17 season, but it was former manager Jose Mourinho who gave Matic his return to Stamford Bridge in 2014/15. The Serbian had previously been at the Bridge between 2009 and 2011, but he left for Benfica in 2011, returning four years later.

The 36-year-old scored quite possibly Chelsea's goal of the season in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham at Wembley, sending a ball perfectly into the top corner out of seemingly nothing.

Having signed him originally, Mourinho seemed to become a fan of Matic, bringing him firstly to Manchester United and then to Roma before departing for France and Stade Rennais and then to Lyon, where he now plays.

  • Ruben Loftus-Cheek: AC Milan

The "Lewisham Ballack" was 20-years-old and beginning to break through at Stamford Bridge during the 2016/17 season, playing 13 times and scoring once in the Premier League for Conte.

Loftus-Cheek was a product of Cobham, and after a dazzling youth career looked set to light the world alight in the Premier League. However, injuries halted what should have been a fantastic career.

The 28-year-old spent time on loan with Crystal Palace and Fulham while at Chelsea, but never managed to nail down a first team spot, leaving for AC Milan, where he played 29 times last season.

  • Oscar: Shanghai Port

Oscar played nine times in the Premier League for Conte in 2016/17, but swapped England for China in the January transfer window as he joined Shanghai Port, where he has remained, and is now club captain.

The Brazilian started his career in Brazil with Sao Paulo, joining Internacional in 2010 before coming to England to join Chelsea following the Blues' Champions League triumph in 2012.

The 32-year-old showed a lot of promise during his Chelsea career, and will remain a case of "what if", with many wondering what would have happened had stayed in Europe.

Brother of Trevoh, Nathaniel Chalobah was another product of Cobham, but spent much of his Chelsea career on loan. During his time contracted to Chelsea, he was loaned to: Watford, Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, Burnley, Reading and Napoli, but 16/17 was his first chance to break into the first team.

However, after ten Premier League appearances, Chalobah was sold by Chelsea to Watford. He remained at Watford for two years, and also played for Fulham and West Brom.

Chalobah was at the Baggies as recently as last season, but left the club to join Sheffield Wednesday this summer.

  • Eden Hazard: Retired

Eden Hazard was one of the greatest players in Chelsea's, and possibly, the Premier League's history. During the 16/17 season Hazard scored 16 goals and provided five assists, scoring a crucial goal away at the Etihad to put the seal on a 3-1 victory over Manchester City.

The Belgian was more than just a numbers man, as everytime you watched him with the ball at his feet, it made you fall in love with football just a little bit more, and Real Madrid agreed, as they signed Hazard in 2019.

However, his spell in Madrid fell well short of expectations, and after leaving Real Madrid in 2023, Hazard called time on his career.

Willian and Pedro were the other part of Chelsea's front three, often rotating with each other as Eden Hazard and Diego Costa held down the left-wing and striker positions respectively in Conte's front three.

The Brazilian joined Chelsea in 2013/14 from Anzhi Makhachkala and went on to play over 300 times for the Blues, the highlight being his 2019/20 campaign, where he arguably stepped us as a senior figure in the squad and helped guide Lampard through his first season at Stamford Bridge.

The 36-year-old departed Chelsea for Arsenal in 2021, and departed Arsenal for Corinthians in 2021, before returning to England with Fulham in 2022. However, following the end of the 2023/24 season, Willian is without a club.

  • Pedro: Lazio

Alongside Fabregas, Pedro was a former La Masia product who won the Premier League with Chelsea, and played 35 Premier League games during the 2016/17 season.

The Spanish winger made the jump from Barcelona to Chelsea a year after Fabregas, joining ahead of what became a forgettable 2015/16 campaign for the Blues, but Pedro more than played his part during the 16/17 season.

The 37-year-old remained at Chelsea until 2020, switching London for Italy as he joined Roma initially, but switched to Lazio a year later, where he has remained since 2021.

  • Diego Costa: Gremio

Chelsea's top scorer in 16/17, Diego Costa struck 20 times in the Premier League, and was one of those players you absolutely hated, unless they played for your team, then you absolutely loved them.

Costa switched Atletico Madrid for Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2014/15 season, and had three years in the Premier League, winning the league twice over the spell of his Chelsea stay.

The 35-year-old returned to Madrid in January of 2018, and has since gone on to play for Atletico Mineiro, Wolves, Botafogo and most recently Gremio, where he currently plays.

  • Michy Batshuayi: Galatasary

While Batshuayi was the second choice striker for Chelsea for much of his stay in the capital, he scored the most important goal of the 16/17 season for Conte away at West Brom.

His late winner at the Hawthorns was the goal that decided the title, winning the Blues the Premier League.

Many Blues fans may have forgotten but Batshuayi was on the books at Chelsea as recently as 2022 having spent time on loan at Borussia Dortmund, Valencia, Crystal Palace and Besiktas.

The Belgian seemed to find home in Turkey, but having switched directly from Fenerbahce to arch rivals Galatasaray this summer, he will have ruffled a few feathers.

  • Dominic Solanke: Tottenham

26-year-old Solanke is coming off the back of a 19 goal season for Bournemouth, and will be returning to the capital for the 2024/25 season, but with Tottenham.

A Cobham graduate, Solanke was only in the squad once during the 16/17 season, a 3-0 win over Leicester, where he was an unused sub.

Solanke joined Liverpool the season after Chelsea won the Premier League, and remained there for two years. In 2019, he made the switch to Bournemouth, and his career took off from there, earning himself a move to Tottenham following his impressive 23/24 season.

Kenedy only played once in the Premier League for Chelsea in 16/17, playing 75 mintues against the side he had spent the first half of the season on loan to, Watford.

The Brazilian never managed to hold down a place at Chelsea, going on loan to Newcastle, Getafe, Granada and Flamengo between 2018 and 2022.

He left Stamford Bridge permanently in 2022, and joined Real Valladolid, where he has remained since his switch.