Chelsea buy Feyenoord striker Kalou

LONDON, May 30: Striker Salomon Kalou has joined English champions Chelsea from Feyenoord on a three-year contract.

The 20-year-old, the younger brother of Ivory Coast captain Bonaventure Kalou, passed a medical and has agreed personal terms, Chelsea said on their website today. No financial details were available.

''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.

REUTERS