Chelsea signs on Ukraine striker

London: Chelsea have signed Ukraine's World Cup striker Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan for a club record fee, the English champions said on Wednesday.

"I am here for the challenge and the excitement of playing in the Premier League," the 29-year-old told Chelsea's official website after agreeing to a four-year contract.

"I am going from one big club to another and joining a team of champions."

Chelsea did not disclose the exact fee but it broke the previous club record of $ 48.81 mn paid to French club Olympique Lyon for Ghana midfielder Michael Essien last August.

Shevchenko said it was the ideal moment to be joining the Londoners. "I think I have arrived here at the perfect time," he said.

"The Champions League has to be a realistic target for next season but it is not just about the Champions League."

"Chelsea are going for their third Premiership as well and I like the club's mentality of wanting to win every game they play."

Shevchenko announced last week that he was leaving the Italian club for family reasons.

According to media reports, his American wife Kristen asked her husband to move to London as she would prefer their son Jordan to grow up in an English-speaking country.

The capture of the 29-year-old Ukraine captain is Chelsea's second coup of the close season, after the arrival of Germany skipper Michael Ballack on a free transfer from Bayern Munich.

Milan praised Shevchenko for his services to the Serie A team.

"Milan thank Shevchenko, an extraordinary man and striker, for the great amount of excitement he provided in the seven seasons in which he wore the red and black shirt," the club said in a statement.

"His 173 goals, making him the second top scorer in the club's history, have contributed in a vital manner to the winning of an Italian league title, an Italian Cup, Super Cup, a Champions League and a European Supercup."

Shevchenko had joined Milan in a $25 million move from Dynamo Kiev, where he won five domestic league titles.

He is the highest scorer in the history of the European Cup with 52 goals, after grabbing 33 in the Champions League for Milan and 19 for Kiev.

Ukraine begin their World Cup campaign against Group H rivals Spain in Leipzig on June 14.