Arsenal have finally completed their first summer signing after securing the services of Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, according to the Daily Mail.
“I’m really excited about joining Arsenal Football Club and can’t wait to join up for pre-season. I have the same commitment to football, the same motivation and the same hunger for success as I had at the beginning of my career, and I love the challenges brought by the top quality players you face while playing in the Premier League,” he told arsenal.co.uk after completing the transfer.
“Petr Cech is a player that I have admired for a long time and I am very pleased that he has decided to join us. He has proven over many seasons that he is one of the outstanding keepers in the world and he will add great strength to our squad,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said of the high-profile move.
The veteran shot-stopper who was being tracked by a string of top European clubs including Paris Saint Germine and Manchester United, was widely expected to leave the West London club after losing his no.1 position to Thibaut Courtois last season.
During the 2014-15 campaign, he could manage only 15 appearances across all competitions.
Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea, played his role in allowing Peter Cech to join a club of choice as a tribute to the services he rendered at Stamford Bridge, despite Jose Mourinho’s reluctance to let him join one of his direct title rivals in the Premier League.
The Premier League winner has made over 500 appearances for Chelsea since joining from Rennes for £7m in the summer of 2004 and ranks sixth in the club’s all-time list of most-capped players.
The Czech Republic international helped the Blues in four Premier League triumphs, four FA Cups and three League Cups during Chelsea’s era of domestic dominance. He has also helped them lift the Champions League and Europa League trophies during his prolonged career at the club.
