Chelsea sign new leader Deschamps

Chelsea saw seven months of work pay off last night with the £3 million signing of French World Cup captain Didier Deschamps.

Juventus accepted the Chelsea offer for Deschamps two days ago and the 31 year old agreed personal terms with the London club yesterday afternoon after first meeting Chelsea representatives last November to discuss a transfer which reunited the midfield ball winner with his former captain at Juventus, Gianluca Vialli. Deschamps also knows Desailly and Lebouef in the Chelsea squad and these personal contacts helped to sell the three year contract on offer to the former PSG player.

Deschamps won three Italian championships and the European Cup with Juventus as well as several other trophies before his summer of glory in France last year. His final year with Juve was marked with rows and disagreements about the collapse of the team under coach Marcello Lippi and several clubs chased him after a move became inevitable.