Germany captain Michael Ballack has signed a three-year deal to play for English champions Chelsea, the club announced on Monday.
Ballack, who has signed on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, was set to be unveiled at a Stamford Bridge press conference.
The 29-year-old midfielder’s arrival had been confirmed by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho on Sunday.
”He believes in us, he believes in Chelsea, he believes we can have success,” Mourinho said. ”He chose Chelsea and we are very happy, and I think also English football should be happy to have such a player playing in the Premiership.”
Ballack is expected to be the first of three big signings by Chelsea this summer. The Germany captain is expected to be followed by AC Milan’s Ukrainian striker Andrei Shevchenko. Inter Milan’s Adriano and Corinthians star Carlos Tevez have also been heavily linked with moves to Stamford Bridge.
Ballack will reportedly become the highest-paid player in the Premiership on a deal said to be worth £130 000 pounds a week.
The move to London will be Ballack’s first footballing foray outside his native Germany, something he announced he wished to experience.
Born in the former East Germany, he began his professional career at Division-Two side Chemnitz.
He then went on to play for Kaiserslautern and Bayer Leverkusen before moving to Bayern Munich in 2002. — AFP
