In a move that signals their intent on mounting a strong challenge for titles next season, Arsenal FC have completed the capture of their London rivals Chelsea’s ’keeper Petr Cech.

The rumour of the Czech Republic goalie’s transfer to Arsenal has been making the rounds for weeks and now the usually reliable Daily Mail newspaper has revealed that the deal has been officially signed.

The paper reports: “Arsenal have completed the signing of Chelsea’s Petr Cech and the goalkeeper could face his former club as soon as August 2 in the Community Shield at Wembley.

Talks over an £11million deal have been ongoing since the season ended and Arsenal manager

Arsene Wenger has finally made the 33-year-old his first signing of the summer.

Jose Mourinho was reluctant to sell Cech to a direct Barclays Premier League rival but, although

there has been no official confirmation, Sportsmail can reveal the transfer has gone through.”

For quite a while until recently Arsenal had been viewed as a club that could not buy top players from other big teams. They even acquired the ignoble title of “selling club” when they lost the services of several top players to their rivals. However, after overcoming the financial constraints of having built a new state of the art stadium, the Gunners are back in business in terms of recruiting top players from their rivals.

Czech won many titles for Chelsea, including the Champions League and several English premier league title.

For many years Arsenal have lacked a top notch keeper. Cech’s arrival is being viewed as the end of the club’s search for a genuinely top goal tender.

•Photo shows Petr Cech.