England midfielder Joe Cole has completed his stg£6.6 million move to Chelsea from West Ham United, the premier league club announced this evening.
The signing of the 21-year-old, who has passed a medical and agreed personal terms at Stamford Bridge, takes the west London club's spending to almost 44 million pounds since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took over early last month.
Cole revealed his desire to follow in the footsteps of his boyhood Chelsea heroes at Stamford Bridge, picking out the likes of Dennis Wise and Kerry Dixon as his personal favourites.
He told Chelsea TV: "I used to come to Chelsea to watch, I used to sit in The Shed a lot. "I used to love watching good players - I used to love watching Dennis Wise and before that Kerry Dixon. I just love my football."
Cole added: "I settled at West Ham because I was most comfortable there and I had a good time there.
"Now my career has come full turn and I'm back at Chelsea. I'm really looking forward to it - it's a great club to be at and it's a great challenge."
England goalkeeper David James sympathised with Cole's decision to quit the Hammers in favour of pursuing his international ambitions with Chelsea, but protested that the midfielder's departure did not signal a fatal blow to his side's promotion hopes.
James told TalkSport: "The Premiership is a unique league and one everyone wants to play in. I'm confident in what we've got and hopefully we will go on and get promotion."
The spending spree is likely to rise to nearly stg£60 million pounds once the signing of Argentina midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron from premier league champions Manchester United is completed.
The clubs have agreed a fee of stg£15 million pounds.