Last update - 00:00 14/06/2007
Israel international Tal Ben Haim signs for Chelsea FC in free transfer
By Uzi Dan, Haaretz Correspondent, The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Israel defender Tal Ben Haim signed a four-year contract with Chelsea on Thursday, moving on a free transfer.
Ben Haim, who has finished his contract with Bolton, is the third player to sign for Chelsea on a free transfer this offseason - midfielder Steve Sidwell and striker Claudio Pizarro are the others.
He will earn some 60 thousand pounds a week, about NIS 25 million a year.
"I'm fulfilling a dream and am happy to have signed for Chelsea," Ben Haim said, who will complete another big deal on Sunday when he marries his girlfriend Michal Ben Hemo. "The decision was very tough, because I had to pick between Newcastle and Chelsea, and I have lots of respect for [Newcastle coach] Sam Allardyce who built me up and helped me."
Ben Haim spent three years at Bolton and played 110 games. He's also played for Maccabi Tel Aviv and has made 22 appearances for the national team.
He will join Chelsea for its July 14-21 preseason visit to the United States.
Ben Haim will join another Israeli international player at the club, 18-year-old striker Ben Sahar, who is a regular for the reserve team and has played on a number of occasions for the first squad.