Manchester City and Chelsea meet on Wednesday night in the League Cup. Two of the defining sides of the modern Premier League, they have shared more than just 14 league titles and a litany of domestic cups. There are also a number of renowned players that have turned out for both clubs.
This list is far from definitive. It speaks to the shared history of these clubs that luminaries such as David Rocastle, Nicolas Anelka, Terry Phelan and Tal Ben Haim were cut for space. But here are five of the noteworthy footballers to have worn both royal and sky blue.
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Raheem Sterling
The latest and perhaps most high-profile example of a player switching directly between the two sides. Sterling was no stranger to swapping one Premier League giant for another, having left Liverpool to join City in 2015.
After seven glorious seasons at the Etihad that saw Sterling lift four Premier League titles, Sterling moved to Stamford Bridge this summer. It has been a turbulent time, with the winger already playing under two managers in west London. But Chelsea fans have seen flashes of his brilliance so far. Sterling will be hoping to show City what they’re missing on Wednesday night.
Frank Lampard
Lampard is synonymous with Chelsea, having played for them for 13 seasons before going on to manage the club. In comparison, his season with Man City is considered a footnote. But it was an eventful one.
The transfer initially pitched as a loan from sister club New York City, with whom Lampard had reportedly signed a contract. It later transpired that Lampard was actually solely a City player, with his MLS deal not scheduled to commence until the end of his Etihad stay. His season in Manchester is best remembered for the goal he scored against Chelsea, which he refused to celebrate due to his emotional connection to the club.
Shaun Wright-Phillips
The diminutive winger actually had two spells at Manchester City, with a trophy-laden Chelsea stint sandwiched in between. Breaking through at the City academy, Wright-Phillips scooped the club’s Player of the Year award in 2003-04.
His performances for City garnered interest from Chelsea, who brought him on board for their 2005-06 title win. Returning to City three days before Robinho and the Abu Dhabi investment that would transform City, the prodigal son proved to be an important part of those early years of change. He would be a Queens Park Rangers player by the time they lifted their first Premier League title, but the England star is still loved at the Etihad to this day.
Wayne Bridge
Perhaps the most controversial entry on this list, through no fault of his own. Bridge had already moved from Chelsea to City by the time it emerged that his former club teammate and then-England colleague John Terry had been having an affair with his ex-girlfriend. But this unfortunate link between Bridge and his Chelsea spell lingered.
The on-pitch news wasn’t much better, as the full-back’s City career failed to launch. He would spend time on loan at West Ham United and Sunderland as he struggled to hit the heights of his Chelsea peak.
George Weah
Plenty of players played more games and made more impact at City and Chelsea than George Weah. But it would be remiss of us to leave out one of the true greats of the sport, even if his Premier League dalliance was very much post-prime.
Weah’s initial move to England came on loan from AC Milan, when he played 11 league games and scored three goals for Chelsea. He would play a further seven Premier League matches for City the following season before moving to Marseille. Despite the brevity of each spell, Weah is fondly remembered at both English clubs he played for.
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