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Many observers felt that the signing of Danish international Brian
Laudrup in the summer of 1998 would be the final piece in the Chelsea
jigsaw as Gianluca Vialli sought to propel his multi-talented,
multi-national squad to the Premiership title. Recruited on a Bosman
free transfer from Glasgow Rangers at the end of a hugely impressive
four-year spell north of the border in which he had twice been voted
Scotland's Player of the Year, the stylish striker joined The Blues just
prior to that summer's World Cup finals. He was unfit as the new season
began but was able to make his debut as a late replacement for
Gianfranco Zola in Monaco as Chelsea beat Real Madrid to lift the
European Super Cup, and his Premiership debut came in The Blues' next
game, a 0-0 draw with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Laudrup was selected
for the team which faced Norwegian side Helsingborgs as the Londoners
began the defence of their European Cup Winners Cup title, and earned
the free-kick from which Frank Leboeuf scored the only goal of the tie,
but his overall performance against weak opposition was disappointing
and a tendency to go to ground rather easily earned him the wrath of his
own supporters.
He was amongst the substitutes for Chelsea's next game,
away at Blackburn, but was called into action in the 70th minute and
performed superbly on the right wing for the final twenty minutes,
creating one of fellow substitute Tore Andre Flo's two late goals which
earned a 4-3 win. Laudrup was back in the starting line-up for the
following weekend's visit of Middlesbrough and it was his run and cross
which led to Boro's Gary Pallister heading past his own keeper to give
The Blues the lead in what was eventually a 2-0 triumph. However,
Laudrup's after-match comments about manager Vialli's squad rotation
policy gave an indication that all was not well and although he retained
his place in the starting line-up for the next three games, he was
largely ineffective. His sixth, and final, appearance at Stamford Bridge
came in the second round of the ECWC when Chelsea faced FC Copenhagen,
and he was again subjected to some criticism from the home supporters
for a lacklustre performance and further displays of theatrical
behaviour in the final third of the pitch.
This did not deter Copenhagen
however, and a week later came the bizarre announcement that Brian
Laudrup would be leaving London to return to his homeland after the
second leg of the ECWC tie between his current club and his new club. To
confuse matters further, Bjarne Goldbaek, Copenhagen's goal scorer in a
1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, would join Chelsea as a makeweight in the
deal, the precise details of which were never disclosed. In an
incredible twist of fate, Laudrup headed the only goal of the game to
send Chelsea through, after which he returned to Denmark only to get
itchy feet again eight months later when he moved to Holland to join
Ajax. By leaving Copenhagen he became technically a Chelsea player again
and the Dutch side were required to pay The Blues £1.7 million
compensation in order to secure his release from Stamford Bridge. (Kelvin Barker)
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