BA TRANSFER TO CHELSEA COMPLETED

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Demba Ba for an undisclosed fee. The Senegal international moves to Stamford Bridge following an 18-month spell with Newcastle United, and has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Blues. He will be eligible for selection for tomorrow's FA Cup match at Southampton, and the Capital One Cup semi-final against Swansea, but cannot play for us in the Europa League this season having appeared in the competition for Newcastle. He will wear the no. 29 shirt. 'It feels good to be here, I'm very happy and very proud,' Ba says. 'It was important for me, and for Newcastle, to get my future sorted and now we can move on. Now they have the whole month to buy someone and for me as well, the sooner the better. Now I am here I just need to get settled in. 'When the club who won the Champions League wants you, the decision is very easy. This club is massive and that's something that helped the decision a lot. It was not a hard one.' The 27-year-old enjoyed a memorable time on Tyneside, where his ruthlessness in front of goal played a major part in last season's fifth-place league finish. Most comfortable playing as a lone striker, Ba's predatory instincts in and around the penalty area make him a difficult player to handle and he also possesses the ability to score spectacular goals. Born in Sevres, in the suburbs of Paris, Ba's career began at Port Autonome du Havre, where he played fortwo years between 1998 and 2000, before moving to Frileuse. Source: bbc.co.uk