Duff Completes Blues Move

By Ade O`Connor
July 21 2003

Damien Duff is officially a Chelsea player after agreeing terms with the Stamford Bridge club; he has been paraded to the World’s media wearing a Chelsea shirt. The final fee for Duff is £17m, a record paid for an Irish player. Duff will now join Wayne Bridge at the club, who also signed today.

The transfer was completed in time for Duff to join his new teammates on their Far East tour on Tuesday, allowing him to settle into his new side.

Chelsea’s new owner, Roman Abramovic, has now spent £37m on new players at the club in the short period of time he has been overseeing proceedings.

Duff took the weekend to decide his fate, contemplating staying at former club Blackburn Rovers, who were forced to sell via a clause in Duff’s contract.

The Republic of Ireland international is expected to receive around £65,000 a week under his new deal.