Chelsea seal Mata capture from Valencia

Spanish international Juan Mata has joined Chelsea FC from Valencia CF in a transfer deal reported to be worth €30m.

The 23-year-old, who can play as a left winger or as a central attacking midfielder, has signed a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge after four seasons at Valencia. He becomes the third Spaniard to arrive at Chelsea this year following Fernando Torres (from Liverpool FC) and Oriol Romeu (from FC Barcelona). Mata played 129 Liga games for Valencia, scoring 33 goals after starting his professional career at Real Madrid CF.

"Right from the first moment there have been good feelings all around me," said Mata. "Training has been great and the players are a great group to train with. Valencia was a big club anyway but I have left to join a bigger club and it is all about the opportunity to win trophies and I have that here.

"[Coach André Villas-Boas] said he wanted Chelsea this season to play more attacking football, and that I would be a big part of that. He is someone who won almost everything last year and we are both here with the idea of winning lots this season."

Capped 12 times by Spain, Mata was a member of his country's FIFA World Cup-winning squad in 2010 and was instrumental in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship success this summer in Denmark. Both Chelsea and Valencia will find out their opponents in this season's UEFA Champions League group stage at the draw in Monaco this Thursday.