Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has bolstered his squad by signing Brazilian midfielder Mineiro until the end of the season. The 33-year-old, who has won 24 caps, was a free agent having been released by Hertha Berlin at the end of last season.

Chelsea have been short of defensive midfield cover with Claude Makelele having left the club in the summer and Michael Essien sidelined with a serious knee injury.

"He is a player that I need because I lost Michael Essien for six months. I have one midfielder like him, John Mikel Obi," Scolari told the club's website chelseafc.com.

Mineiro, whose full name is Carlos Luciano da Silva, was a member of the Brazil squad at the 2006 World Cup and was also in the team that faced England in a friendly at Wembley last year.

Scolari continued: "This week he will not play but maybe after 15 days to two weeks, he is ready to play normal games.

"He needs to play some games in the reserve team, and for me it is very good because I have one more player in this position.

"If not I have to put in (Juliano) Belletti or (Paulo) Ferreira, or (Michael) Ballack, and they are not for this position.

"I say to fans of Chelsea, if they remember (Claude) Makelele, Mineiro is the same. Good positionally, a very good marker. He is a man that works for the other players and he is also a good man outside of the pitch."

Mineiro spent 18 months with Hertha, scoring twice in 36 appearances, having previously played solely in his homeland with Sao Paulo, Sao Caetano and Ponte Preta.
 
While at Sao Paulo he scored the goal which beat Liverpool in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, meanwhile, has admitted his desire to play in Italy but once again assured fans he is staying at Stamford Bridge for now.

The Ivorian striker has long been linked with a move away from London following the departure of Jose Mourinho last year.

Mourinho has since taken charge of Inter Milan which has only further added to the speculation that he could get his dream move to Serie A.

Up until the transfer window closed, there was speculation that Inter could mount a late bid - but Drogba says a move was never really an option for him.

"There hasn't been anything. The club told me they wanted me to stay," Drogba told French magazine Sport.

"As a consequence, I am under contract until 2010 and don't want to fight against that.

"I always said I was interested in Italian football, but right now I'm under contract with Chelsea.

"I am not staying at Chelsea because I have to, but I really want to take up new challenges.

"That's the first time that I didn't win anything with Chelsea (last season). I couldn't leave this way."