Chelsea today formally completed the Stg£7.5million signing of Emmanuel Petit from Barcelona after the former Arsenal midfielder signed a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
The French international is manager Claudio Ranieri's latest recruit following the summer acquisitions of Frank Lampard from West Ham for tg£11million and William Gallas from Marseille for Stg£6.2million.
Managing director Colin Hutchinson confirmed yesterday Chelsea had signed a pre-contract agreement with Petit and the Spanish club, ending speculation that Manchester United had hijacked the deal.
And the club's official website confirmed today: "Chelsea have formally, and definitively signed Emmanuel Petit from Barcelona in a Stg£7.5million, three-year deal."
Speaking on his official website emmanuelpetit.com, Petit said: "I have received offers in the last few months from everywhere but I didn't want to go to Italy nor return to France and London is a town I adore."
The 30-year-old revealed: "Chelsea have been monitoring my situation for a long time.
"They were not the first club to show an interest but their approach was very clear and quick. They didn't beat about the bush and that attitude pleased me."
PA