French ace has come a long way to the Bridge

Spotlight on Malouda:Florent Malouda was a teenager when, armed with a backpack and words of encouragement from the France goalkeeper Bernard Lama, he bade farewell to family, friends and French Guiana and made for the sleepy town of Chateauroux.

There, some two hours to the south of Paris, he continued a journey which has now landed him at Chelsea.

"It was hard leaving everyone behind but, when you grow up in Cayenne, you know you have to go to France to study or work," he reflected.

"I packed my bags, tried and tried again, and now I am here."

Persistence has paid off for Malouda. The France international became Jose Mourinho's only cash signing of the summer last week when he completed a 19.9 million move from Lyon, with whom he had claimed four consecutive league titles, with Chelsea revelling in his capture as something of a coup.

Liverpool had hoped to beat them to the 27-year-old. Instead, he rejoined his former team-mate at Guingamp and close friend, Didier Drogba, in London.

His only concern yesterday was he was still to endure the obligatory new signing ritual by singing a song to the rest of the squad - a Shabba Ranks number remains in rehearsal - though this is a player who seems to take most things in his stride.

At La Berrichonne de Chateauroux, then Guingamp and Lyon, Malouda has steadily progressed and excelled. He was one of France's most impressive players at the World Cup finals last summer, offering balance and bite down the left despite requiring laser surgery on a haemorrhoid problem in the opening week of the tournament.

"I had to be patient and I was sure that the Lyon president (Jean-Michel Aulas) would let me go. I told him my choice, that I wanted to go to Chelsea. I could have gone to Real Madrid too, and Liverpool had been the first English club to contact me. But my choice was simple. I know the Chelsea team very well because I have a lot of friends here already, like Michael Essien and Didier.

"Playing with Didi again was an attraction. At Guingamp, we had an instinct. We understand each other, and my role is to provide him with passes to score."

His arrival could yet spark a return to an attack-minded team philosophy. Mourinho has been quick to insist he hopes Arjen Robben remains at the club with his idea to recreate the incisive thrust his team enjoyed when the Dutchman and Damien Duff tore at opponents.

"That was, in my opinion, the best football we played in the last three years," said the Portuguese.

"So why can't Florent and Arjen play together? Florent is not here to replace anybody. Tactically and mentally, he is right for us. Our squad is stronger with him in it."

He can start to prove his pedigree this afternoon when Chelsea take on Club America in Stanford, California, in their opening pre-season friendly though, already, his sights are set upon European and domestic success.

"At Lyon, we never progressed further than the quarter-finals in the Champions League, and Chelsea have not gone further than the semis, so I hope I can help them reach that final.

"But for now, I am just trying to earn a place. That's why I was so keen to come here, to Los Angeles, for pre-season."

Guardian Service