Chelsea this afternoon confirmed the signing of Germany forward Andre Schurrle from Bayer Leverkusen.

The 22-year-old has long been a target for the Blues and becomes the first transfer since the appointment of new manager Jose Mourinho in what is reported to be a €21 million deal.

A statement on the club website, www.chelseafc.com, read: “Chelsea Football Club and Bayer 04 Leverkusen have reached an agreement for the transfer of Andre Schurrle, subject to the completion of legal documentation and related matters, including personal terms and passing a medical.”

It had been expected Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne would move on loan as part of the deal, following a successful spell in the Bundesliga at Werder Bremen last season.

However, Chelsea’s statement made no mention of the 21-year-old, with Mourinho suggesting at Monday’s press conference the player was very much in his first-team plans for the future.

Mourinho, who agreed a four-year deal to return to Stamford Bridge following his departure from Real Madrid, admitted it was “normal” to expect some fresh faces to be added to the squad, and Chelsea have been heavily linked with Napoli’s €35 million-rated frontman Edinson Cavani as well as Wayne Rooney, should the England striker be sold by Manchester United.

However, the new Blues manager, who won the Champions League for a second time with Inter Milan after leaving Stamford Bridge six years ago, maintained he was also looking to bring on the club’s younger players in the new campaign.

”These ‘kids’ - and I say that respectfully - have big potential and big space for improvement. They’ve not reached their best level,“ he said.

”The stability the owner and I can give them is related to work - in the methods, the coaching philosophy, in my leadership, in everything that can help them improve.

”When you mix with them those who are over 30, we will keep a balance and try to go on.”