Arsenal have signed veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea in a deal worth around £10m.

The 33-year-old, who had spent over 10 years at Chelsea making more than 400 appearances, has joined the Gunners on a four-year contract.

Cech lost his place in the first XI at Chelsea after Belgium international Thibaut Courtois became something of a sensation for the Blues. This meant that Cech looked to leave Chelsea in search of regular football, with one year left on his deal.

Mourinho was reluctant to allow Cech to leave, and was even more stubborn about a move to a Premier League rival. But following lengthy talks between Chelsea and the Gunners, the north London club have now completed a deal with the Czech believed to be worth £100,000 a week. Chelsea look set to net £10 million for the legend who they signed in 2004.

In a letter to Chelsea fans, Cech said he thought he would retire at Stamford Bridge, but added: “Life doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will.”

He wrote: “Last summer, things changed and I understood I was no longer the first-choice keeper, but I felt it was not the right time for me to go.”

“During the season, it became clear that my situation would not improve and – as I know I am not at the stage of my career where I want to be on the bench – I made my decision to move and look for new challenges.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had this to say on his new signing: “Petr Cech is a player I have admired for a long time and I am very pleased he has decided to join us.”

Cech won 13 trophies with Chelsea and set a club goalkeeping record of 228 clean sheets in all competitions, meaning he will forever be regarded as one of the best keepers in the Premier League.