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Udinese sign Chelsea striker Stipe Perica after successful loan spell

Chelsea have sold Croatian striker Stipe Perica to Udinese after an 18-month loan spell at Stadio Friuli, the Italian club have announced.

Perica, 20, joined Udinese in January 2015 after two years on loan at NAC Breda and scored four goals in 22 appearances in all competitions in Italy.

Udinese have exercised an option to buy Perica at the end of his loan spell, and the deal is believed to be worth a little over £3 million.

Perica moved to Stamford Bridge from Croatian club Zadar in August 2012, after a season that saw him score eight goals in 20 league matches in his homeland.

He never made a senior appearance for Chelsea in four years on the books at Stamford Bridge, but has represented his country at Under-21 level.