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Chelsea sign veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer

By on July 9, 2013
Chelsea have surprisingly scooped up veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a free transfer

Chelsea have surprisingly scooped up veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a free transfer

Chelsea have signed veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a free transfer as manager Jose Mourinho ends his search for a back-up to Petr Cech.  Schwarzer, who was released by Fulham at the end of last season, could play in the Premier League past his 41st birthday after Chelsea surprisingly swept down to sign Australia’s most capped international on a one-year deal.

The 40-year-old has made the move across London, ending his five-year career at Fulham, with the former Australian player of the year saying he wishes to keep himself at a top club to increase his odds of playing in a third World Cup at Brazil 2014 next year. Schwarzer first moved to the England from FC Kaiserslautern in 1996, signing for Bradford City.

The goalkeeper was signed by Premier League club Middlesbrough in 1998, and was a success helping the club win the League Cup in 2004 and finish as runners-up in the 2005/06 Uefa Cup. Schwarzer moved to Fulham in 2008, and played phenomenally for the Cottagers before the released him after five years of the No1 making fabulous stops at Craven Cottage.

Most likely wishing to end his 23-year professional career at Chelsea, Schwarzer told the Blues official website he was glad to have such an illustrious move on the twilight of his career.

“It’s a phenomenal club,” Schwarzer said. “It’s one of the biggest and best clubs in the world, and it’s an honor to sign for Chelsea. I didn’t take much convincing to come here.

“There were other interests but once I knew Chelsea was interested it was very much the case that I wanted to try and make it happen. I’m very fortunate and delighted to be sitting here today.

“There were a lot of things that ticked all the boxes, but most of all Chelsea Football Club is an enormous club and I think a club that can re-establish itself as the best club in the country. It has an unbelievable manager and an unbelievable squad of players and it’s very exciting.”

Standing at 6ft 5 inches the towering Australian dominates the box and will definitely compete with Chelsea’s current first choice goalkeeper Petr Cech for the starting position.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.