Chelsea complete Shevchenko deal

Premiership champions Chelsea have completed the signing of AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko for what is believed to be a club record fee.

The 29-year-old, who will captain Ukraine in this year's World Cup in Germany, has signed a four-year with the club.

Shevchenko, a former European Footballer of the Year, said: "I am here for the challenge and the excitement of playing in the Premier League. I am going from one big club to another and joining a team of champions.

"There is a right moment to join a football club and I think I have arrived here at the perfect time. The Champions League has to be a realistic target for next season but it is not just about the Champions League. Chelsea is going for their third Premiership win as well and I like the club's mentality of wanting to win every game they play."

Commenting on Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Shevchencko said: "I have followed Mr Mourinho's career carefully for the last few years and have been hugely impressed with the way he manages. He puts team ethic before individual expression which is the way I believe great teams are created.

"Had money been my motivation for coming, I would probably have stayed in Milan. I am pleased that Chelsea managed to conclude everything before the World Cup - I can go to Germany with a clear mind and proud to be a Chelsea player."

Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho said: "Today is a day when the dream became reality. Andriy has always been my first choice for Chelsea since I arrived. Before it was not possible, now it is for real. He has great qualities, ambition, discipline, tactical awareness and of course he is a great goal scorer.

"I did not need to meet with him to convince him about Chelsea, in the same way we did not need to talk a lot about why I wanted him. Everybody knows him as a player, tactically he can play in the Chelsea system no doubt.

"Milan is a big club, a great club, but for him to leave Milan for Chelsea is a big statement about where Chelsea is. He is a champion and he is joining a team of champions. I have already spoken to some of our players and they are looking forward to playing with him. Great players want to play with other great players."

The actual fee paid for Shevchenko has not been disclosed, but it is a club record, making the figure higher than the £24.5 million paid for Lyon midfielder Michael Essien in 2005.

Shevchenko began his professional career at Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine, making his debut in 1994. He came to prominence across Europe when he scored a first-half hat-trick in a Champions League win against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in the 1997-98 season, and took Dynamo Kiev to the semi-finals of the competition in the following season.

He joined AC Milan in 1999 and completed his first season in Serie A by being named top scorer, scoring 24 goals in 32 appearances.

During his time at Milan, Shevchencko won one Serie A title, one Champions League, one European Super Cup, one Italian Cup and one Italian Super Cup.

He was named European Footballer of the Year in 2004.

Shevchencko is Chelsea's third big name signing so far this summer, following the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack and Feyenoord striker Salomon Kalou.

(KMcA)