Andre Schurrle has revealed that Michael Ballack convinced him to join Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen.
The 22-year-old German international forward recently moved to Stamford Bridge for around £18m.
"Michael told me all the time this is a great club with great people, like a big family," Sky Sports News quotes Schurrle as saying. "He told me if I had to change, then I had to do this move to Chelsea.
"He also told me Jose [Mourinho] is good for the players and convinced me he could make me a better player."
Chelsea start the new Premier League season at home to Hull City on August 18.