Chelsea sign Schwarzer

Chelsea have announced that they have signed verteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a one year contract.

The Australia international was released by local rivals Fulham last month following the arrival of Maarten Stekelenburg, and will provide competition for first choice shot-stopper Petr Cech.

Schwarzer came to England seventeen years ago with Bradford City, but moved to Middlesbrough after playing just thirteen games for the Bantams.

In eleven and a half years in the North East, the 40 year old racked up nearly 450 appearances, including the 2004 League Cup final victory over Bolton Wanderers.

A move to Craven Cottage followed, where he missed only a handful of games in five years, making him the only overseas player to have turned out over 500 times in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the club will have to pay £30million if they are to have any chance of securing the services of Aston Villa’s want-away striker Christian Benteke.

The Blues are one of a number of clubs to be linked with a move for the Belgian international, who scored nineteen goals in his debut season in the Premier League last year.

The 22 year old handed in a transfer request earlier this week.