The signing of Lampard allowed Chelsea to part company with their captain Dennis Wise, who ended his successful 12-season spell at the club by joining Leicester City for £1.6 million.

[3] The third and final signing of the window was of French midfielder and 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit, who joined from Barcelona for £7.5 million on 26 June.

Six Chelsea first-team players—Albert Ferrer, William Gallas, Emmanuel Petit, Graeme Le Saux, Eiður Guðjohnsen and captain Marcel Desailly—did not fly to Israel due to fears since the September 11 attacks in the previous month and recent Palestinian insurgency.

In the final against London rivals and Premier League champions Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 4 May 2002, Chelsea lost 2–0 with both goals in the last twenty minutes of the match.

[7] Chelsea were led out into the final by Roberto Di Matteo, who had announced his retirement earlier in the season due to a long-term absence with a leg fracture.