Chelsea sign promising striker Modric for 100 million euros
Ukrainian international striker Mykhailo Modric signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract with English club Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, the London club announced.
"The clubs have agreed on the details of the deal: Shakhtar will receive 70 million euros and 30 million euros in expected bonuses," the Ukrainian club said on its website.
The 22-year-old, who shone in the Champions League this season, has been the focus of interest for Chelsea's London rivals, Arsenal.
Reports indicated that “Gunners” was about to reach an agreement with Shakhtar, but the latter refused the amount demanded by the Ukrainian club and tried to obtain a distributed payment.
However, Chelsea was more ready to complete the deal, as he agreed to pay the required price, and Saturday's meeting between Shakhtar president Rinat Akhmedov and Chelsea's American owner Behdad Iqbali was enough to reach a deal, which the player in turn agreed to.
"I am very happy to sign for Chelsea," Modric said in the statement.
It's a huge club, a great league and a very attractive project for me at this stage of my career.
Modric's position on the wing, as well as his ability to fill central roles, has allowed him to be directly involved in 18 goals in 18 matches this season, including three goals and two assists in the Champions League.
The club's owners, Todd Bohle and Iqbali, said: "We are delighted to welcome Mikhailo to Chelsea.
He is a very promising talent and we believe he will be a major addition to our team now and for years to come.”
The London club is suffering locally, as it ranks tenth, 19 points behind its rivals and leaders Arsenal, and 10 points behind fourth place.
Modric is considered the fifth winter deal for coach Graham Potter's team, after French defender Benoit Badiachel, Ivory Coast striker David Datro Fofana, young Brazilian Andre Santos and Portuguese striker Joao Felix, who joined on loan from Spain's Atletico Madrid until the end of the season.
Since last summer, Chelsea's spending on transfers has reached 450 million euros.
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