Chelsea sign Kalou
ByReuters
Published 30/05/2006 at 17:17 GMT
Striker Salomon Kalou has joined English champions Chelsea from Feyenoord on a three-year contract. The 20-year-old younger brother of Ivory Coast captain Bonaventure Kalou, passed a medical and has agreed personal terms, Chelsea said on their website on
2006 Salomon Kalou
Image credit: Imago
"I could never have dreamed that I could have gone to such a big club," Kalou told the Feyenoord website. "I am delighted I can tell my children and grandchildren that I played for clubs like Chelsea and Feyenoord."
Kalou said he was pleased to follow in the footsteps of former Dutch international Ruud Gullit, who played for and managed Chelsea.
"Chelsea are on their way to becoming a monument in the game and I would love to be part of it. I talked with coach Jose Mourinho, in French, and he persuaded me."
Kalou recently had his application for Dutch citizenship turned down and he wants to play for Ivory Coast after the World Cup finals.
Kalou joins Michael Ballack at Stamford Bridge after the Germany midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Bayern Munich on May 15.
Chelsea are also poised to sign Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko who announced last week he was leaving AC Milan.
In 2003/2004 Kalou played the bulk of the season on loan at second division Excelsior, where he scored four goals in 11 appearances.
In the past two seasons he has scored 35 goals in 60 league starts.
"It's probably the best solution for everyone," said Feyenoord marketing director Chris Woerts. "His contract had another year to run but, because of all the fuss, he decided that he would prefer to make a fresh start somewhere else."
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