Inter Milan striker Christian Vieri has joined the Russian-owned premiership club Chelsea, Independent reported on Thursday.

The 30-year-old is reported to have accepted a fee of just over £20m from the club owned by Roman Abramovich. He will, according to the British paper, earn a salary in excess of £5m a year.

Vieri has been inked on the deadline day for next week's Champions' League tie against the Slovakian side MK Zilina.

This season Chelsea has spent £79m on acquisitions, of which £42.1m has been spent in the last 48 hours.

Earlier, Argentine international playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron signed a four-year deal with Chelsea after Manchester United agreed to the sale of the midfielder.

The 28-year-old tied up the 15 million pound move late on Wednesday after passing a medical just hours after England midfielder Joe Cole had completed a 6.6 million pound transfer to the west London club from West Ham United.

Abramovich, till now, has acquired 10 new players.