CHELSEA SIGN MINEIRO

Chelsea Football Club can confirm the signing of Mineiro who was released by Hertha Berlin as a free agent at the end of last season.

The deal, the details of which will remain confidential, will see him remain at the club until the end of the season.

Mineiro becomes the third Brazilian in the squad, linking up with manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and his backroom staff alongside Juliano Belletti and Alex.

A defensive midfielder, he has 24 caps for Brazil, and was a member of the 2006 World Cup squad, as well as appearing against England at Wembley in 2007.

Mineiro was released by Hertha at the end of last season, and has since been unattached.

Upon announcing the imminent arrival, Scolari explained the decision to sign the 33-year-old.

'He is a player that I need because I lost Michael Essien for six months. I have one midfielder like him, Mikel.

'So this week he will not play but maybe after 15 days to two weeks, he is ready to play normal games. He needs to play some games in the reserve team, and for me it is very good because I have one more player in this position. If not I have to put in Belletti or Ferreira, or Ballack, and they are not for this position.

'I say to fans of Chelsea, if they remember Makelele, Mineiro is the same. Good positionally, a very good marker. He is a man that works for the other players and he is also a good man outside of the pitch.'

ineiro spent 18 months in the German capital, scoring twice in 36 league appearances, including a debut strike against Hamburg.

Prior to that the player, whose full name is Carlos Luciano da Silva, had played his entire career in his homeland, representing Sao Paulo and Sao Caetano after beginning his career with Ponte Preta.

While at Sao Paulo, he scored the goal that defeated Liverpool in the 2005 Fifa Club World Championship.

We are delighted to welcome him to Stamford Bridge, and wish him well in his time here.