Asmir Begovic: It's a dream for me to sign for Chelsea

It was officially announced today that Chelsea have signed Asmir Begovic from Stoke City to be their backup goalkeeper. The 28-year-old Bosnia international sat down with ChelseaFC.com for his first exclusive interview since joining the club.

The most obvious question is how does he feel about about joining the reigning Premier League champions? According to Begovic it is a dream come true.

This is one of the best clubs in the world and it's a dream for me to sign. Once I knew Chelsea were interested, and after speaking to Jose Mourinho at length, I knew this was where I wanted to be. It feels amazing and I'm absolutely thrilled.

What makes an established starting goalkeeper at a respected Premier League club decide to leave a stable situation for uncertain playing time at a top club? For the Bosnian it was all about the challenge.

Being part of a team that wins trophies is what it's all about, I think that was the next step for me in my career and it's certainly something the manager can help me with.

If you're not familiar with Begovic or have never seen him play, who better to give you a scouting report on him than the man himself?

I like to be a calming influence and contribute in all areas. I enjoy taking crosses and being aggressive but it's about being the best influence I can be on the defence and the whole team. I want to do everything I can to help us get results.

Getting settled into a new club is the goalkeeper's top priority but that doesn't mean he wants to settle for a bench role.

My main aims are to get myself settled in quickly and show everybody what I can do in training and matches. Hopefully I can play as many games as possible and contribute to the success of the team, they are ultimately the goals for next season and beyond. I just want to impress as much as I can.

Chelsea are getting a proven Premier League goalkeeper to replace Petr Cech. When challenging for multiple titles during a long and stressful season, having as many capable starters as possible in your squad is a necessity. Acquiring a talented backup for Thibaut Courtois will undoubtedly prove to be a key move.