This article is more than 19 years old

This article is more than 19 years old

Chelsea have completed the £11m signing of West Ham midfielder Frank Lampard.

Lampard, 22, had been linked with Aston Villa and Leeds but he revealed that the chance to stay in London and compete on a European stage made his mind up for him.

"I'm totally impressed with what I've heard and seen," he said."Chelsea have sold the club to me."

"I think everyone knows how I felt," he added. "A lot happened at West Ham but I will always be grateful to them - they gave me my chance," said Lampard. "It's always been my ambition from day one to play European football.

"I think I can take my game on from here and win a lot of medals with the club. Hopefully I can test myself against the best players in Europe and we can contest for trophies.

"The chance of European football and working with a well-respected coach will bring my game on."

Lampard, who has signed a five year contract, becomes Ranieri's first English signing. French defender William Gallas has already been snapped up this summer and the club are hopeful that a deal for Emmanuel Petit will also be completed by the end of the month.

Chelsea chief executive, Colin Hutchinson, said: "We have been bringing the age down in the squad for the last year and people may think he is older because he's been around a bit but Frank is only 22."