Chelsea agree to sign Dutch midfielder Marco Van Ginkel
Ginkel had been linked with Chelsea for long and there were reports that he had also met Jose Mourinho. Mourinho apparently sees him as a long term replacement of the Blues legend, Frank Lampard.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: July 04, 2013 04:17 PM IST
Chelsea have struck a deal to sign 20-year-old Dutch midfielder Marco van Ginkel from Vitesse Arnhem, the Premier League giants announced on Thursday.
Van Ginkel, who made his senior international debut for the Netherlands last year, will reportedly cost the Europa League champions £8 million ($12.2 million, 9.4 million euros).
"Chelsea Football Club and Vitesse Arnhem have reached an agreement for the transfer of Marco van Ginkel," read a statement on the Chelsea website.
"The player will join Chelsea subject to a medical, agreement of personal terms and legal documentation."
Van Ginkel graduated from the Vitesse youth system and made his debut first-team appearance in 2010.
He was a key figure last season as the modest club from the eastern Dutch city of Arnhem secured an unexpected fourth-place finish in the Eredivisie.
He is in line to become Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho's second close-season signing after German forward Andre Schurrle arrived from Bayer Leverkusen.