Chelsea have signed England midfielder Ross Barkley from Everton for £15m.
The 24-year-old has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with last season’s Premier League champions and will wear the number eight shirt.
Barkley, who leaves Everton after 13 years at the club, has not played for seven months because of a hamstring injury and had surgery in August.
“He’s very young and has a lot of space for improvement,” said Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.
Upon signing for the Premier League champions, Barkley said: ‘I’m overwhelmed, I’m looking forward to it and I’m really excited to get started.
‘To be given a fresh start at a new club like Chelsea, it’s unbelievable for me. I’m looking forward to continuing where I left off at the end of last season and hoping to improve and add more goals to my game.’
Club director Marina Granovskaia added: ‘Ross is a player we have long admired and are certain he will prove to be an important player for Chelsea. He possesses outstanding technical and physical attributes, matched with good experience of the Premier League and a strong desire to succeed at the highest level. We welcome him to the club and look forward to seeing him in action.’
Barkley arrives with a wealth of experience for a player so young, having already made 150 Premier League appearances for Everton, as well as being named in England squads for both the World Cup and European Championships.
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Source: BBC Sport