Chelsea have completed the signing of left-back Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano for a fee of £16.2million.

The 28-year-old is the replacement for fellow Spaniard Marc Cucurella who left Stamford Bridge for Real Madrid earlier this summer.

Chavarria has signed a five-year contract after making his name with Real Zaragoza and then becoming a key part of a Rayo side that secured successive eighth-placed finishes in La Liga and qualified for last season’s Conference League final.

Slow burner Chavarria excited by Chelsea move

Chavarria has not taken the typical path to the Premier League but he is delighted to have secured a move to the West London club.

He told Chelsea’s official website: “I’m so excited to get started. This is a dream for me as Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world. It is a big opportunity but I am prepared and will work hard to help the team achieve success. 

“There are a lot of people who have helped me get to this moment and I have to thank my family. They have always supported me and today is only possible because of them.”

Chavarria joins an already bloated Chelsea squad

New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has not been slow in adding to an already swollen squad that contains 41 players.

Chavarria is the club’s ninth addition this summer and will compete with Jorrel Hato to start on the left of Chelsea’s back four while Marco Palestra, another new signing, can play on both flanks.

Alonso has presided over a mixed pre-season campaign with two wins from five games on their tour of Asia. Chelsea take on Real Sociedad at the weekend in their final tune-up before opening their Premier League campaign at West London neighbours on Monday, August 24.