Juan Cuadrado has joined Chelsea in what is likely to be the biggest deal of deadline day.

After weeks of speculation, the 26-year-old Colombia forward has finally put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Cuadrado, one of the best performers at last year's World Cup, joins from Fiorentina for a fee which will reportedly rise to his £26.8million release clause.

It is a fee only dwarfed this window by Manchester City's £28million purchase of Wilfried Bony and adds to the already impressive attacking options at Jose Mourinho's disposal.

"I am very happy and thankful for this opportunity I've been given," Cuadrado told the club's official website, www.chelseafc.com.

"This is a great club and honestly it is like a dream to join the Chelsea family and to know that the manager believes in me. I'm happy."

Cuadrado arrives at Stamford Bridge after five-and-a-half years in Italy, having first joined Udinese from Independiente Medellin.

The attacking midfielder, capped 37 times by his country, moved onto Fiorentina in 2012 after a loan spell at Lecce before today moving to the Premier League.

The announcement of Cuadrado's arrival came shortly after Andre Schurrle completed his move to Wolfsburg.

The 24-year-old signed from Bayer Leverkusen 18 months ago and last summer helped Germany win the World Cup.

However, Schurrle has found it tough to break into Mourinho's starting line-up and has now returned to his homeland to join Wolfsburg on a deal until 2019.

There could yet be more exits from Stamford Bridge before the transfer deadline as Press Association Sport understands Mohamed Salah's move to Fiorentina remains on.

In addition, it is understood one or two players currently on loan could exit Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis.