Chelsea today beat Manchester United to the signing of Porto right-back Jose Bosingwa, for a fee of £16.1million.
The Blues confirmed the player has agreed a three-year contract with the Stamford Bridge club and will join after this summer's European Championships.
It represents a welcome success for Chelsea the day after United pipped them to the Barclays Premier League title.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side have long been in the hunt for a right-back and assistant coach Carlos Queiroz confirmed their interest in Bosingwa earlier in the season.
United saw him as a successor to Gary Neville but Chelsea have moved swiftly to snap up the attack-minded 25-year-old.
The Portugal international's arrival will place more speculation around the future of Juliano Belletti. The Brazilian has been sidelined in recent weeks, with Michael Essien playing at right-back.
Chelsea's other right-back, Portugal's Paulo Ferreira, signed a five-year deal earlier this season and is unlikely to move on.
Bosingwa is set to play for his country in the European Championships next month, but was born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He moved to Seia in central Portugal when he was young and began his career mainly playing in midfield for Boavista, for whom he made more than 40 appearances.
Bosingwa moved to Porto in 2003, where he played under former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and has been their first-choice right-back for the last three seasons.
Three years ago, Bosingwa was involved in a serious car accident when his jeep skidded off the motorway and rolled down an embankment before bursting into flames.
He was with four other players at the time, but all escaped alive.
However, Sandro Luis had to have his left foot amputated as a result of the accident.
Meanwhile, Mikel John Obi insists the Blues can conjure up another slice of cup glory after failing to pip United for the Premier League title.
The Blues' 1-1 draw with Bolton and United's victory over Wigan on Sunday meant Sir Alex Ferguson's men retained their crown.
It was Ferguson's 10th Premier League title but Mikel insists Chelsea's eyes now firmly focused on beating United in the final of the Champions League in Moscow a week on Wednesday.
Last season, the Blues lost their league title to United but went on to beat them 1-0 in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley.
Mikel insists his side have set their sights on repeating the feat in Moscow with the Champions League trophy as the prize this time.
"There is a sense of frustration but determination among everyone," said Mikel.
"At the end of the day, we wouldn't have won the title anyway. We wanted to win and we knew that three points was our only chance of beating Manchester United, but it wasn't to be.
"We were saying to each other afterwards that we would put things right in Moscow. We will keep working hard until the final and make sure we win the Champions League.
"Last year, they won the league and we beat them in the FA Cup final. They have won the league again but we know that we're good enough to beat them.
"They're a very good side, we all know that, but we have to focus on the day. I think we're going to win it."
Mikel is also praying captain John Terry recovers from the dislocated elbow he suffered against Bolton in time to play.
Terry underwent another scan on his damaged arm today and, with a period of rest, he is hoping to be fit enough to start.
"John is a very important player for the team," added Mikel.
"We all pray and hope he will be fit for the final. When you look at Chelsea, we are all big players, but when people want us to stand up for ourselves, we always do that.
"I'm a young player, I respect the big players for what they've done. When we've needed them to do something, they have done.
"It has been a very good season, but it can only end on a high if we win the Champions League, and we believe we can."
