Chelsea finally got their man on Friday signing highly-rated Ghana midfielder Michael Essien from French champions Lyon.
The English champions had been chasing the 22-year-old Essien throughout the summer, but Lyon at first refused to allow him to leave.
But once it became clear that he was determined to join up at Stamford Bridge, Lyon relented and it was just a question of completing the relevant paperwork after that.
That was achieved this week with Essien passing a medical and agreeing personal terms. The fee, according to Essien's agent, was 24.4 million pounds (36 million euros).
Coach Jose Mourinho said that he had been looking for a player like Essien to finish off what he said was a "very, very strong squad."
"We believe he is the best we can get for that position. He can play every position in the midfield, but he will have to fight for his place.
"He is young, he has a lot of ambition and he has enjoyed success in France.
"I know the questions will be around the money Chelsea has spent, but that is the reality of modern football."
Essien said that it had been his ambition to play in the English Premiership and that he had been delighted Chelsea had made a move for him.
"I don't think it will be a problem for me to fit in," he said. "I speak the language and also I speak French, so it's going to be easy for me."
"But it's going to be a tough competition for places here and I am ready to fight for my place."
Essien began his career in local club Liberty in his native Ghana and came to the attention of European scouts when he played in the Under-17 World Cup in 1999 in New Zealand. He transferred to Corsica side Bastia in September 2000.
In 2001 he took part in the World Youth Championship in Argentina, and made his Ghana full team debut in the 2002 African Nations Cup.
Despite interest from Manchester United Essien moved to Lyon in July 2003 in an 11-million-euro deal after failing to get a permit to work in England.
Playing a defensive midfield role he helped Lyon collect their third and fourth consecutive league titles and in the process was named 2005 French league player of the year.
Last month the Ghanaian declared that he would "go on strike" against Lyon because of the club's refusal to trade him to Chelsea.
At Stamford Bridge he will join Jose Mourinho's galaxy of high-profile, big-earning stars that include England stars Frank Lampard, John Terry and another new signing Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and French international midfielder Claude Makelele.
Drogba, who joined from Marseille for 24 million pounds (35 million euros) a year ago, had been the club's previous record signing.
Essien will link up in midfield with Lampard and Makelele with Mourinho looking to defend their Premiership crown and add the European Champions League title.
Chelsea surprisingly fell in the semi-finals last year to Liverpool who went on to win the trophy.
Mourinho said it was unlikely that Essien would line up against Arsenal in this weekend's Premiership showdown as his work permit papers had yet to be completed.