Chelsea signs goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer

Mark Schwarzer. AP FILE PHOTO

LONDON — Chelsea says it has signed Australia international goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on a free transfer from fellow west London club Fulham.

Schwarzer has signed a one-year contract, taking the 40-year-old keeper through to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil — where he will play for his country.

Schwarzer spent five years with derby rivals Fulham and the previous 11 with Middlesbrough.

The Sydney-born keeper, who started out with Australia’s Marconi Stallions, says his new club is “one of the biggest and best clubs in the world, and it’s an honor to sign for Chelsea. I didn’t take much convincing to come here.”

Capped 108 times by Australia, Schwarzer will almost certainly be a reserve for Chelsea’s first-choice

keeper, Petr Cech, under the orders of returning coach, Jose Mourinho.