Chelsea have reached an agreement with Anzhi Makhachkala for the signing of Brazil international Willian.
The 25-year-old will move to Stamford Bridge provided he is given a work permit, with a decision expected at a hearing on Wednesday, having already agreed personal terms.
Willian was widely expected to leave Anzhi after it was announced that their top stars had been placed on the transfer list, following owner Suleyman Kerimov s decision to abandon the Russian club s high-spending ways.
Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto o, one of the highest-paid players in the world thanks to his contract with the Dagestan outfit, has also been linked with a move to Chelsea.
In a statement on their website, the Premier League club said: Chelsea Football Club can confirm an agreement has been reached with both Willian and his club Anzhi Makhachkala for the transfer of the Brazilian player.
The transfer is subject to a work permit hearing on Wednesday.
The hearing for his work permit will take place because the player does not meet the criteria for it to be automatically granted.
Football Association rules state a player from a non-EU country must have participated in at least 75 per cent of his home country’s senior competitive international matches where he was available for selection during the two years preceding the date of the application.
Willian s only two outings for his nation were in friendlies during November of 2011 against Gabon and Egypt.
If his move to Chelsea is finalised, he will become the club s sixth signing of the season.
Jose Mourinho has already added Stipe Perica, Cristian Cuevas, Mark Schwarzer, Marco van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle to his squad.
